The Mega Millions lottery has reached a historic milestone, offering the largest jackpot in its history. With no winner since April 18, the jackpot has now increased to a staggering $1.58 billion. Excitement is building as players anxiously wait for the draw on Tuesday, August 8.
To participate in the Mega Millions lottery, each player must select six numbers – five numbers from 1 to 70, representing the white balls, and one number from 1 to 25, representing the golden Mega Ball. To win the jackpot, all six numbers must match. The lucky winner can choose to receive their prize in annual installments over 29 years or as a lump sum payment.
Mega Millions is available in 45 states, the District of Columbia, and the Virgin Islands. Unfortunately, residents of Alabama, Alaska, Hawaii, Nevada, and Utah are unable to partake. Tickets for this life-changing opportunity are priced at $2 each.
The thrilling Mega Millions drawings take place twice a week, every Tuesday and Friday, at 8:00 pm PT/10:00 pm CT/11:00 pm ET. The draws are conducted from the WSB-TV studio in Atlanta, Georgia. Keep in mind that times and dates can vary slightly, so it’s essential to stay up to date.
The latest drawing, held on Friday, resulted in no winner, causing the jackpot to soar to an incredible $1.58 billion, with a cash value of $783.3 million. The winning numbers for this August 8 draw were: 13-19-20-32-33, with the Mega ball being 14. Additionally, the Megapliers for this draw were 2x.
The lucky winner will have the option of receiving the jackpot either as an annual payment, with an estimated value of $1.58 billion, including an immediate payment followed by 29 annual payments increasing by 5% each year, or as a one-time payment of approximately $783.3 million. It is important to note that both options require the winner to pay taxes.
Apart from the jaw-dropping jackpot, the Mega Millions game offers various other prize tiers. For instance, matching 5 numbers plus the Mega Ball grants the player the jackpot, while matching 5 numbers alone awards $1,000,000. Other prizes include $10,000 for matching 4 numbers plus the Mega Ball, $500 for matching 4 numbers, $200 for matching 3 numbers plus the Mega Ball, $10 for matching 3 numbers, $10 for matching 2 numbers plus the Mega Ball, $4 for matching 1 number plus the Mega Ball, and $2 for matching only the Mega Ball.
If you missed out on this record-breaking jackpot, don’t worry. There are more chances to become the next Mega Millions millionaire. The upcoming draws in August are scheduled for the following dates: Friday, August 11; Tuesday, August 15; Friday, August 18; Tuesday, August 22; Friday, August 25; and Tuesday, August 29.
Whether you dream of winning the enormous jackpot or scoring one of the aforementioned cash prizes, the Mega Millions lottery has captured the attention and imagination of people across the United States. Good luck to all participants and may the odds be ever in your favor!