The Mega Millions jackpot is now over $1 billion

DES MOINES, Iowa — A giant Mega Millions lottery jackpot ballooned to $1.02 billion after no one matched all six numbers Tuesday night and won the top prize.

The new estimated jackpot will be the nation's fourth-largest lottery prize.

The jackpot has grown so large because no one has matched the game's six selected numbers since April 15. That's 29 consecutive drawings without a big winner.

Tuesday's numbers were: 07-29-60-63-66, Mega Ball: 15.

The $1.02 billion prize is for winners who choose the annuity option, paid annually over 30 years. Most winners opt for the cash option, which for the next drawing Friday night is an estimated $602.5 million.

The odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 302.5 million.

Mega Millions is played in 45 states as well as Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The game is coordinated by state lotteries.

Fourth largest lottery jackpot prize in U.S. history; third largest in Mega Millions history

AUSTIN – Sales for the Tuesday, July 26 Mega Millions drawing continue to surge, resulting in the jackpot prize being increased to an estimated annuitized $830 million. The jackpot is the third largest jackpot prize in game history and the fourth largest in U.S. lottery history. Tuesday’s drawing offers a cash value worth an estimated $487.9 million. If there is no jackpot winner for tonight’s Mega Millions drawing, the jackpot prize for the Friday, July 29 drawing will roll to an estimated annuitized $1.025 billion.

“Mega Millions sales continue to be strong for the Texas Lottery during the current jackpot run, which will generate much needed revenue for public education in the state of Texas,” said Gary Grief, executive director of the Texas Lottery. “As great excitement builds for Tuesday night’s drawing, we’re keeping our fingers crossed that the winner of this jackpot is a Texas Lottery® player. Most importantly, we also want to remind our players to play responsibly. It only takes one ticket to win.”

Tuesday’s drawing will be the 29th in the current Mega Millions jackpot run since starting as an estimated annuitized $20 million for the April 19 drawing. This is the largest Mega Millions jackpot up for grabs since the Jan. 22, 2021 drawing when it reached an estimated $1.05 billion – the game’s second-largest jackpot prize, which was won by an out of state player.

Texas has had 13 Mega Millions jackpot prize winners since it joined the game in 2003. Its most recent jackpot winner came in September 2019 when a Leander resident won an estimated annuitized $227 million, the largest prize ever paid out to a single Texas Lottery player.

Since the start of 2022, five Texas Lottery players have won second-tier Mega Millions prizes of $1 million or larger, including two during the current jackpot run. A Houston resident claimed a $1,000,510 second-tier prize for the drawing held on May 13 and an Ingram resident claimed a $2 million second-tier prize for the drawing held on June 17.

Mega Millions is played by choosing five numbers from a field of 70 and one Mega Ball number from the second field of 25 numbers. To win the Mega Millions jackpot, players must match all six numbers drawn including the Mega Ball. Players matching fewer numbers may not win the jackpot but could still walk away winners. Mega Millions currently offers a $20 million starting jackpot and a second-tier (Match 5+0) prize of $1 million. By choosing the Megaplier® feature for $1 more per Play, players can multiply their non-jackpot winnings by two, three, four or five times, winning as much as $5 million.

Drawings are broadcast each Tuesday and Friday at 10:12 p.m. CT. Texas Lottery players can purchase Mega Millions tickets at more than 20,000 Texas Lottery retailers across the state. Ticket sales for the next Mega Millions drawing will close at 9:45 p.m. CT on Tuesday, July 26. The retailer that sells a jackpot-winning Mega Millions ticket is eligible to receive up to a $1 million retailer bonus.

About the Texas Lottery

Beginning with the first ticket sold in 1992, the Texas Lottery has generated $35 billion in revenue for the state and distributed $76 billion in prizes to lottery players. Since 1997, the Texas Lottery has contributed $29.2 billion to the Foundation School Fund, which supports public education in Texas. As authorized by the Texas Legislature, certain Texas Lottery revenues benefit state programs including the Fund for Veterans’ Assistance. Since the first veterans’ themed scratch ticket game was launched in 2009, the Texas Lottery has contributed more than $187 million for programs supporting Texas veterans.

The Texas Lottery provides several entertaining games for lottery players including Powerball®, Mega Millions®, Lotto Texas®, All or Nothing™, Texas Two Step®, Pick 3™, Daily 4™, Cash Five® and scratch ticket games. PLAY RESPONSIBLY.

7/26/22 Winning Numbers

7-29-60-63-66-MEGA 15

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