$650 million Mega Millions jackpot ranks as 10th largest in lottery history

Well over half a billion dollars is up for grabs this Tuesday, as the Mega Millions jackpot continues to accumulate over three and a half months.

The $650 million is the tenth-largest jackpot in Mega Millions history, since the game began in 2002. The cash payout for the winner would be $304.1 million.

Tuesday’s drawing marks the 33rd for the jackpot run that began following “the last big win in Virginia on June 27,” according to a Mega Millions press release. 

“It continues growing after no ticket matched all six numbers drawn Friday night – the white balls 9, 21, 27, 48 and 56, plus the gold Mega Ball 10,” the press release said.

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The last time a top-10 jackpot was seen was December, when the prize reached $1.269 billion. 

Mega Millions also says a “game change last April has led to hundreds of millions of dollars more paid in non-jackpot prizes compared to the old prize structure.” 

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During the last drawing on Friday, 416,751 winning tickets for non-jackpot prizes totaled more than $8.5 million. 

Prior to June’s jackpot winner, other major payouts were in Ohio in April, Illinois in March and Arizona in January. 

Tickets are $5 each. They are sold in 45 states, Washington, D.C. and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Most purchase cutoffs are one to two hours prior to drawings, which take place at 11 p.m. Eastern Time on Tuesdays and Fridays in Atlanta, Georgia. 

“The overall odds of winning any Mega Millions prize are 1 in 23; the odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 290,472,336,” according to Mega Millions.