Mega Millions Lottery Reaches Historic $800 Million Jackpot Amidst No Winners

The Soaring Mega Millions Jackpot

The Mega Millions jackpot has soared to an estimated $800 million after no winners have emerged. This latest increase represents a cash option of $401.8 million for the upcoming drawing.

Lottery Background

Historically, this is the seventh-highest jackpot in the history of the Mega Millions game, with only six higher jackpots exceeding $1 billion. The last winning ticket was sold in Illinois on June 4, valued at $552 million. Since that win, there have been 27 consecutive drawings without a jackpot winner.

Current State and Trends

• Only two Mega Millions jackpots have been won this year, including an enormous $1.1 billion prize in New Jersey that remains unclaimed.
• Tickets for the Mega Millions game are sold in 45 states, Washington D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands, with drawings held at 11 p.m. on Tuesdays and Fridays in Atlanta, Georgia.
• Tickets cost $2 each, and half of the ticket proceeds support state initiatives where the tickets are sold.

Winning Odds

The odds of winning the Mega Millions jackpot are over 1 in 302 million, while the overall odds of winning any Mega Millions prize are 1 in 24.

Recent Mega Millions Insights

The largest Mega Millions jackpot ever, an incredible $1.6 billion, was sold in Florida last August. Professor Victor Matheson from the College of the Holy Cross stated that the structure of the game has been designed to generate larger prizes, reflecting a fundamental shift towards larger, more attractive jackpots.