Mega Millions lottery hits $1.58bn as hopeful players buy tickets – latest

Jump to content Sign up to our newsletters Subscribe News Sports Voices Culture Lifestyle Travel Premium Lifestyle Chelsea Ritschel Tuesday 08 August 2023 21:00 Comments Close Mega Millions jackpot up to record $1.55B The Mega Millions jackpot has climbed to an estimated $1.58bn after no tickets matched all six winning numbers from Friday’s drawing. Ahead of the next drawing on Tuesday 8 August, the grand prize is only expected to grow as players purchase tickets in the hopes of winning what is now the third-largest jackpot in US history. To win the jackpot, a player’s ticket must match all six winning numbers. The chances of this happening are exceptionally rare, however, as the odds of finding oneself with a ticket that matches all six numbers are one in 302.6 million. As for how much money the winner of Tuesday night’s drawing would actually receive, the $1.58bn payout would go to a winner who opts for an annuity, doled out over 30 years. But winning individuals usually prefer a lump sum option, which for Tuesday’s jackpot would be an estimated $783.3m. The money would then be subject to federal taxes, while many states also tax lottery winnings. The next Mega Millions drawing will take place on Tuesday 8 August at 11pm ET. For everything to know about tonight’s Mega Millions drawing, follow along with all the latest updates below. 1691524835 The Mega Millions lottery is played in 45 states, Washington, DC, and the US Virgin Islands. However, because lottery rules vary state by state, it means there are only some states that allow lottery winners to remain anonymous – while others require individuals to disclose their identity. Maintaining anonymity is only permitted in 16 US states, including Delaware, Kansas, Maryland, Mississippi, North Dakota, Ohio, South Carolina, New Jersey, Texas, and Wyoming. Additionally, these states may have their own limitations or restrictions, such as prize thresholds or a limited time period where a person can remain anonymous. For example, the names of those who win $600 or more in the Arizona lottery are confidential for 90 days after the prize has been awarded, and they can choose to remain anonymous if they win $100,000 or more.  Chelsea Ritschel 8 August 2023 21:00 1691522736 If a player has a ticket that matches just the gold Mega Ball, they win $2, which is the cost of each Mega Millions ticket. Lottery players will have another shot at a massive Mega Millions jackpot Chelsea Ritschel 8 August 2023 20:25 1691520320 To play the Mega Millions lottery, players can pick six numbers from two separate pools of numbers – five different numbers from one to 70 (the white balls) and one number from one to 25 (the gold Mega Ball), according to Mega Millions’ website . To win the grand prize, players must have a ticket that matches all six numbers drawn. However, players who don’t win the jackpot can still win smaller prizes, as Mega Millions notes that there are ‘a total of nine ways to win a prize in Mega Millions, ranging from the jackpot down to $2’. Players who match all five white balls but not the gold Mega Ball walk away with the second biggest prize of $1m, while players who match four white balls and the gold Mega Ball win $10,000. Chelsea Ritschel 8 August 2023 19:45 1691518536 If the grand prize continues to grow, which it is expected to, it will surpass the previous second-largest lottery jackpot. The title is currently held by the $1.586bn Powerball jackpot, which was won on 13 January 2016 by tickets in California, Florida and Tennessee. The largest lottery grand prize ever recorded was won the $2.04bn Powerball jackpot won by a single ticket in California on 7 November 2022. Here is a look at the 10 largest U.S. jackpots that have been won and the states where the winning tickets were sold Chelsea Ritschel 8 August 2023 19:15 1691517036 Whether it’s $1bn or $1.58bn, winning a lottery jackpot typically means a life-changing amount of money. However, a previous lottery winner has revealed that there are some things that do not change when you win millions of dollars. The $1.5bn Mega Millions jackpot has yet to find a winner Chelsea Ritschel 8 August 2023 18:50 1691515794 Although the chances of winning the grand prize are slim, there are a few things that lottery players need to know if they do find themselves with a winning ticket. From keeping the win a secret to whether you should sign a winning ticket, this is what lottery players should consider before making any decisions at all. The $1.5bn Mega Millions jackpot is third largest in US Chelsea Ritschel 8 August 2023 18:29 1691515607 Ahead of Tuesday night’s drawing, hopeful players have started fantasising about the purchases they would make if they were to win the grand prize. ‘Alright y’all I bought my Mega Millions tickets so now I get to live in a delusional fantasy of what I’d do with the money until they draw the numbers,’ one person tweeted. Chelsea Ritschel 8 August 2023 18:26 1691515195 On Tuesday, the Mega Millions lottery revealed on its website that the estimated grand prize of $1.55bn had jumped to $1.58bn ahead of Tuesday night’s drawing. If a winner were to choose the lump-sum cash payment, they would walk away with $783.3m before taxes. Chelsea Ritschel 8 August 2023 18:19 1691514919 The current grand prize is the result of 31 straight drawings without a jackpot winner. The last time someone won the game’s top prize was 18 April. Lottery players will have another shot at a massive Mega Millions jackpot Chelsea Ritschel 8 August 2023 18:15 1691514758 The player who eventually wins the Mega Millions jackpot will be the recipient of the largest grand prize the lottery has ever awarded. A lucky ticket holder in South Carolina won the previous largest Mega Millions jackpot of $1.537bn in 2018, when they found themselves with a ticket that matched all six numbers drawn. Earlier this year, an individual in Maine won a Mega Millions jackpot worth $1.348bn. Chelsea Ritschel 8 August 2023 18:12 Mega Millions Lottery jackpot Powerball Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in Please refresh your browser to be logged in