A lucky lottery player could receive a big gift on Christmas Eve: the Mega Millions jackpot is nearly $1 billion.
Tuesday’s drawing is estimated to be worth $970 million, or $439.9 million in cash, according to the lottery. The jackpot has been rolling since it was last won, at $810 million in Texas, on September 10.
No ticket matched all six numbers last time Friday evening drawingwith white balls 2, 20, 51, 56 and 67, plus the golden Mega Ball 19.
Only 13 Mega Millions jackpots have been won in December since play began in 2022. If someone wins on Tuesday, it would mark only the second Mega Millions jackpot won on Christmas Eve. Someone won a $68 million jackpot in New York on Christmas Eve 2002, but that prize went unclaimed.
Very few Mega Millions jackpots were won this year. It has only been won three times, which is the fewest wins in a single year since the game began. The odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 302,575,350.
The current jackpot would be the seventh largest in history, according to Mega Millions. Last year, a winning player in Florida won the the biggest jackpot ever seen, winning $1.602 billion in a drawing on August 8.
Mega Millions tickets are available in 45 of the 50 U.S. states, in addition to Washington, DC and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Tickets cost $2 per piece. Drawings take place at 11 p.m. EST on Tuesdays and Fridays.
Beware of lottery scams
People considering playing the lottery should be careful lottery scams. According to the Federal Trade Commission, lottery scams typically involve receiving a call, email or letter stating that you have won a drawing, lottery or prize. Some scams may ask people to pay to access their winnings.
Mega Millions said no lottery representative would call, text or email anyone to ask about winning a prize. The game also notes that large jackpots attract the attention of potential scammers.
“While people should be vigilant at all times, it is particularly true during big jackpot periods,” according to the lottery’s website.
Upcoming changes to Mega Millions
Mega Millions tickets are expected to get more expensive next year. It will cost $5 per coin starting in April 2025, more than double the current $2 per ticket.
Changing the ticket price will result in bigger jackpots and better chances of winning, according to Mega Millions. The April change will mark the second price increase since the launch of Mega Millions.
“We are creating a game that our existing players and those new to Mega Millions will love and be excited to play,” said Joshua Johnston, Senior Director of the Mega Millions Consortium, when announcing the news. “We’re expecting more billion-dollar jackpots than ever before, which means creating more billionaires and even more millionaires as the jackpots climb. Additionally, this game will continue the important legacy of supporting great causes wherever Mega Millions is played.”
