Mega Millions: What are the odds of winning the estimated $640M jackpot prize?
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JULY 29: People walk past advertisements for the Mega Millions and Powerball lottery on July 29, 2022 in New York City. The Mega Millions jackpot has risen to an estimated $1.28 billion and would be the second-largest in the game
We are hours away from another Mega Millions drawing this week as many hope to win the jackpot prize. Whether you bought one ticket, or one hundred, may the odds be forever in your favor. But what are the odds that you will win the jackpot prize?
On Tuesday, a lucky Floridian won the $1 million prize for the Mega Millions by choosing the winning numbers — 9, 13, 36, 59, 61 and 11. It was sold at a Publix store located at on 4651 Cortez Road West in Bradenton, the Florida Lottery said in a statement. Tickets sold in California, Georgia and Mississippi also claimed a $1 million prize, according to the Mega Millions website.
Although the $1 million isn't the jackpot, it's the next best thing. The odds of winning the $1 million prize is 1 in 12,607,306, according to the Mega Millions website.
What are the odds of winning the Mega Millions jackpot?
When it comes to the jackpot prize, you'll need a lot more luck with winning that. The odds of winning the jackpot is 1 in 302,575,350. The jackpot has rolled over to a whopping estimated $640 million after no one claimed the prize in Tuesday's drawing.
How do you win the Mega Millions jackpot prize?
Players pick six numbers from two separate pools of numbers — five different numbers from 1 to 70 (the white balls) and one number from 1 to 25 (the gold mega ball). You win the jackpot by matching all six winning numbers in a drawing.
If you win the jackpot, you can choose an annuity option which is paid out as one immediate payment followed by 29 annual payments. Each payment is 5% bigger than the previous one. The second option is a cash option — a one-time, lump sum payment that is equal to all the cash in the Mega Millions jackpot prize pool.
The next drawing is Friday at 11 p.m. ET.