The Mega Millions jackpot has surpassed half a billion dollars ahead of Thanksgiving, only the fourth time this year it has done so.
A lucky player might have a little extra to spend on holiday gifts come Black Friday if they play their numbers right for the post-Thanksgiving Day drawing.
The prize soared to $514 million as of Wednesday afternoon. Should a jackpot winner choose the lump-sum cash payment, they’d go home with roughly $214 million.
The Mega Millions lottery has not seen a grand prize winner since Sept. 10, when a Texas player snagged $810 million. In June, a player in Illinois won $552 million, while a lucky ticket-holder in New Jersey won $1.128 billion in March, though that person had not yet come to collect as of late September.
“If not claimed, this ticket will expire on March 26, 2025, and the unpaid prize will revert back to each participating Mega Millions jurisdiction,” the lottery said.
This year’s low number of jackpot winners is unusual given the 10 winners in 2023, the highest number since the game was rejiggered in 2013. While Tuesday’s drawing did not produce a jackpot winner, more than 890,000 tickets won at least something, including two million-dollar winners and 14 winning $10,000 each, with another five taking home $30,000 via the Multiplier effect.
Mega Millions is slated to up its game — and its prices — next April, with an overhauled system that promises “to be bigger and better than ever,” the lottery announced last month. Prices will jump from $2 to $5 per ticket, with the return being better odds, bigger and faster-growing jackpots, an automatic built-in Multiplier that people don’t have to opt into and a promise that the lowest prize will always at least cover the cost of the ticket.
With News Wire Services
