Winning numbers: Mega Millions lottery jackpot for Tuesday, Dec. 27
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Lottery jackpots: Why you should keep quiet if you winHere's why you shouldn’t tell anyone if you win a huge lottery jackpot.There wasn't a Mega Millions jackpot Christmas gift last week, but Tuesday night's drawing offers another chance to someone who buys a ticket with the winning numbers for an even bigger prize.
The estimated jackpot for the Dec. 27 drawing is $565 million (cash option of $293.6 million). That is the sixth-highest Mega Millions jackpot ever.
Check your numbers: 9-13-36-59-61, Mega Ball: 11 and Megaplier was 2x.
In Friday night's drawing, two people in California and Illinois matched five numbers, winning $1 million. Winning prizes from the Dec. 23 drawing ranged from $2 to $1 million.
Mega Millions drawings are held at 11 p.m. EST Tuesdays and Fridays.
Below are some frequently asked questions about Mega Millions, Powerball and lottery odds.
How much was the Mega Millions lottery jackpot for Dec. 27?
$565 million with a cash option of $293.6 million
Is $565 million among the largest Mega Millions jackpots ever?
No. But with Friday night's rollover, the jackpot is now in the Top 10 list for Mega Millions jackpots.
How long has Mega Millions rolled over?
This Mega Millions jackpot has rolled over since Oct. 18. Before that, one ticket sold at a 7-Eleven in Fort Myers and another was purchased in California in the Oct. 14 drawing. The winners split the $494 million jackpot.
What are the odds of winning Mega Millions?
According to the Mega Millions website, you have a 1 in 302,575,350 chance to match all five white balls plus the gold Mega Ball. Prizes range from $2 (for matching the Mega Ball) to the grand prize jackpot, which varies.
Can Florida lottery winners remain anonymous?
No. According to Florida Lottery's website, winners cannot remain anonymous: "Florida law mandates that the Florida Lottery provide records containing information such as the winner's name, city of residence; game won, date won, and amount won to any third party who requests the information."
However, the site states, since May 25, 2022, the "names of lottery winners claiming prizes of $250,000 or greater will be temporarily exempt from public disclosure for 90 days from the date the prize is claimed, unless otherwise waived by the winner."
Is $565 million the largest lottery jackpot in U.S. history?
The $565 million jackpot is not the biggest sum, but it does rank No. 6. The largest lottery prize ever climbed to $2.04 billion in November. The jackpot was an estimated $1.9 billion days before the drawing, but lottery ticket sales helped it grow to more than $2 billion after updated calculations. A single ticket purchased in California won the grand prize.
Previously, the largest lottery jackpot in U.S. history was clinched Jan. 13, 2016, when three tickets in California, Florida and Tennessee split the Powerball grand prize of $1.586 billion. For those wondering, the winning ticket in Florida was sold at Publix in Melbourne Beach.
What are the Top 10 largest Mega Millions jackpots ever?
According to its website, here are the Top 10 Mega Millions jackpots as of Dec. 23, 2022:
- 10. $522 million — June 5, 2019; California
- 9. $533 million — March 30, 2018; New Jersey
- 8. $536 million — July 6, 2016; Indiana
- 7. $543 million — July 24, 2018; California
- 6. $565 million — Dec. 27, 2022; Undetermined
- 5. $648 million — Dec. 17, 2013; California and Georgia
- 4. $656 million — March 30, 2012; Illinois, Kansas and Maryland
- 3. $1.05 billion — Jan. 22, 2021; Michigan
- 2. $1.337 billion — July 29, 2022; Illinois
- 1. $1.537 billion — Oct. 23, 2018; South Carolina
What are the Top 10 largest Powerball jackpots ever?
Here are the Top 10 Powerball jackpots as of Dec. 23, 2022:
- 10. $587.5 million — Nov. 28, 2012; Arizona and Missouri
- 9. $590.5 million — May 18, 2013; Florida
- 8. $632.6 million — Jan. 5, 2022; California and Wisconsin
- 7. $687.8 million — Oct. 27, 2018; Iowa and New York
- 6. $699.8 million — Oct. 4, 2021; California
- 5. $731.1 million — Jan. 20, 2021; Maryland
- 4. $758.7 million — Aug. 23, 2017; Massachusetts
- 3. $768.4 million — Mar. 27, 2019; Wisconsin
- 2. $1.586 billion — Jan. 13, 2016; California, Florida and Tennessee
- 1. $2.04 billion — Nov. 7, 2022; California
What are the Top 10 largest lottery jackpots ever?
The following Mega Millions and Powerball jackpots made the Top 10 biggest lottery jackpots in U.S. history, as of Dec. 23, 2022.
- 10. $687.8 million — Oct. 27, 2018; Iowa and New York
- 9. $699.8 million — Oct. 4, 2021; California
- 8. $731.1 million — Jan. 20, 2021; Maryland
- 7. $758.7 million — Aug. 23, 2017; Massachusetts
- 6. $768.4 million — Mar. 27, 2019; Wisconsin
- 5. $1.05 billion — Jan. 22, 2021; Michigan
- 4. $1.337 billion — July 29, 2022; Illinois
- 3. $1.537 billion — Oct. 23, 2018; South Carolina
- 2. $1.586 billion — Jan. 13, 2016; California, Florida and Tennessee
- 1. $2.04 billion — Nov. 7, 2022; California
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