DES MOINES, Iowa — An estimated $785 million Mega Millions jackpot set for Tuesday night will give lottery players a chance to start the new year with a lucrative bang.
The big prize is the sixth-largest jackpot in U.S. history and has grown so large because no one has matched all six of the game's numbers for more than two months. There have been 22 straight drawings without a big winner, allowing the prize to roll over and become ever-larger.
The jackpot-winning drought isn't surprising given the miserable odds of one in 302.6 million of winning the top prize.
The $785 million jackpot is for a winner who chooses to be paid through an annuity over 29 years. Nearly all winners opt for a cash payout, which for Tuesday night's drawing would be an estimated $395 million.
The jackpot is the largest since someone in California won a record $2.04 billion Powerball prize on Nov. 8. There still has not been an announced winner of that jackpot.
What time is the Mega Millions drawing?
The drawing will take place on Tuesday at 11 p.m. Eastern (10 p.m. Central Time, 9 p.m. Mountain Time, 8 p.m. Pacific Time)
What days are the Mega Millions drawings?
The Mega Millions drawings currently happen every Tuesday and Friday night.
How late can you buy Mega Millions tickets?
The cut-off times for buying Mega Millions tickets vary by state. Usually, it's within one or two hours of the scheduled drawing. However, you should check with your local lottery.
What are the largest US lottery jackpots ever won?
1. $2.04 billion, Powerball, Nov. 8, 2022 (one ticket, from California)
2. $1.586 billion, Powerball, Jan. 13, 2016 (three tickets, from California, Florida, Tennessee)
3. $1.537 billion, Mega Millions, Oct. 23, 2018 (one ticket, from South Carolina)
4. $1.337 billion, Mega Millions, July 29, 2022 (one ticket, from Illinois)
5. $1.05 billion, Mega Millions, Jan. 22, 2021 (one ticket, from Michigan)
6. $768.4 million, Powerball, March 27, 2019 (one ticket, from Wisconsin)
7. $758.7 million, Powerball, Aug. 23, 2017 (one ticket, from Massachusetts)
8. $731.1 million, Powerball, Jan. 20, 2021 (one ticket, from Maryland)
9. $699.8 million, Powerball, Oct. 4, 2021 (one ticket, from California)
10. $687.8 million, Powerball, Oct. 27, 2018 (two tickets, from Iowa and New York)