As the holiday season reaches its peak, the Mega Millions jackpot is delivering its own celebration-worthy excitement. With no ticket matching all six numbers drawn on Christmas Eve – the white balls 11, 14, 38, 45, 46, and the gold Mega Ball 3 – the jackpot has surged to an estimated $1.15 billion ($516.1 million cash) for the next drawing on Friday, December 27. If won, this would mark the fifth largest jackpot in Mega Millions history.
“We know many people will likely receive tickets to Friday’s drawing as holiday gifts, and what an incredible gift it would be to win a $1.15 billion jackpot,” said Joshua Johnston, lead director for the Mega Millions Consortium. “It’s a wonderful way to celebrate the season – from Christmas and Hanukkah to Kwanzaa and beyond – by making dreams come true through a life-changing prize.”
The Christmas Eve drawing alone generated 4,292,338 winning tickets across all non-jackpot prize levels, highlighting the game’s widespread popularity. Notable wins included:
- Four second-tier prizes (matching five white balls) sold in California, Missouri, Pennsylvania, and Wyoming.
- 106 third-tier prizes (matching four white balls and the Mega Ball), with 13 tickets boosted to $30,000 each by the optional Megaplier feature. The remaining 93 winners received the standard $10,000 payout.
Since the last jackpot win in Texas on September 10, 2024, for $810 million, Mega Millions has seen more than 25.7 million winning tickets across all prize levels. This includes 60 second-tier prizes of $1 million or more in 25 states, showcasing the game’s reach and impact across the nation.
Mega Millions remains the only lottery game to have produced seven jackpots over $1 billion, with prizes won in South Carolina, Michigan, Illinois, Maine, Florida, and New Jersey. The current record stands at $1.602 billion, won in Florida on August 8, 2023.
Tickets are available in 45 states, Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands for $2 each. Players can opt for the Megaplier for an additional $1, which multiplies non-jackpot prizes. Drawings occur at 11 p.m. ET on Tuesdays and Fridays in Atlanta, Georgia. The odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 302,575,350, while the overall odds of winning any prize are 1 in 24.
Top Mega Millions Jackpots
| Amount | Date | Winning Tickets |
|---|---|---|
| $1.602 billion | 8/8/2023 | 1-FL |
| $1.537 billion | 10/23/2018 | 1-SC |
| $1.348 billion | 1/13/2023 | 1-ME |
| $1.337 billion | 7/29/2022 | 1-IL |
| $1.15 billion (est) | 12/27/2024 | ? |
| $1.128 billion | 3/26/2024 | 1-NJ |
| $1.050 billion | 1/22/2021 | 1-MI |
With just two drawings left in 2024, Mega Millions could close the year with yet another record-setting prize. Whether it’s a festive holiday gift or a strategic ticket purchase, Friday’s drawing promises to add excitement to the season – and possibly change someone’s life forever.
