The Mega Millions jackpot has soared to $1.15 billion after no tickets matched all the winning numbers on Christmas Eve.
Officials urged players to buy tickets for Friday’s 11 p.m. drawing, with the jackpot now the fifth largest in Mega Millions history. Tuesday’s winning numbers were 11, 14, 38, 45, 46, and the Mega Ball 3.
To win the jackpot, a player must match all five numbers plus the Mega Ball. Since no one won, the prize continues to grow.
Joshua Johnston, Mega Millions lead director, called the jackpot a perfect holiday gift. He said, “There’s no better way to celebrate the holidays—Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or Winter Solstice—than with a prize like this.”
The odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 302,575,350, while the odds of winning any prize are 1 in 24.
Mega Millions jackpots have reached this size only a few times before, including winners in South Carolina (2018), Michigan (2021), Illinois (2022), Maine (2023), Florida (2023), and New Jersey (2024).
Tickets cost $2 and are sold in 45 states, Washington D.C., and the US Virgin Islands. Half of the ticket sales stay in the state where the ticket was purchased.
Drawings take place every Tuesday and Friday. Players choose five numbers from white balls numbered 1 to 70 and one Mega Ball number from 1 to 25. A quick pick option is also available.
The U.S. Sun has covered stories of Mega Millions winners, including one who nearly discarded a winning ticket after a close check.This huge jackpot continues to capture the attention of hopeful players nationwide.
