"Mega Millions has already entered historic territory, but it's truly astounding to think that now the jackpot has reached an all-time world record," said Gordon Medenica, Lead Director of the Mega Millions Group and Director of Maryland Lottery and Gaming. "It's hard to overstate how exciting this is – but now it's really getting fun."
For Immediate Release
October 20, 2018
Contact:
Carole Bober Gentry
Maryland Lottery
410-230-8725 (office)
410-365-6384 (cell)
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Mega Millions Jackpot Skyrockets to All-Time World Record: $1.6 Billion
Jackpot surpasses previous mark held by January 2016 Powerball drawing
A Mega Millions jackpot roll that had already made history has now reached a new world record.
With no jackpot winner in Friday night’s drawing, the jackpot for the next drawing on Tuesday, Oct. 23 carries an estimated annuity value of $1.6 billion – a new world record. The estimated cash option is nearly $905 million.
At $1.6 billion, Tuesday’s Mega Millions drawing slips past the $1.586 billion Powerball drawing on January 13, 2016, to become the largest lottery jackpot in history. Winners in California, Florida and Tennessee shared the record Powerball prize.
"Mega Millions has already entered historic territory, but it's truly astounding to think that now the jackpot has reached an all-time world record," said Gordon Medenica, Lead Director of the Mega Millions Group and Director of Maryland Lottery and Gaming. "It's hard to overstate how exciting this is – but now it's really getting fun."
The previous record Mega Millions jackpot was $656 million, which was shared by winners in Kansas, Illinois and Maryland in the drawing on March 30, 2012.
The last Mega Millions jackpot hit was in the drawing held July 24, 2018, when a group of 11 co-workers in California shared a $543 million prize. There have been 25 drawings without a jackpot winner since then, but there have been more than 34.4 million winning tickets sold across the game’s nine prize levels.
The winning numbers for the October 19 drawing were: 15, 23, 53, 65 and 70, plus the gold Mega Ball 7. While there was no jackpot winner on Friday, there were 15 second-tier winning tickets of at least $1 million, sold in California, Florida, Illinois (two), Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York (four), Texas (two, including one with the Megaplier for a $2 million prize) and Virginia (two). These tickets matched the five white balls but missed matching the Mega Ball.
Mega Millions tickets are $2 and are sold in 44 states, Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Drawings are held at 11 p.m. on Tuesdays and Fridays.