- Edwin Castro of Altadena, California, is the largest lottery winner in US history, winning $2.04 billion Powerball in November 2022.
A $2 Mega Millions ticket made one lucky winner a billionaire this holiday season. Like they say in the lottery world, “it could happen to you.”
After no one matched all five numbers plus the Mega Ball in the Friday, Dec. 20, Mega Millions drawing for $862 million, the grand prize jumped to $944 million in a matter of hours. A few days later, however, the total grew to $970 million, according to Mega Millions online. On Tuesday evening — Christmas Eve — the jackpot hit $1 billion. It is the 12th time in history that a Mega Millions or Powerball lottery jackpot reached $1 billion. Only once has a lottery jackpot here surpassed $2 billion (see below).
On Friday, Dec. 27, Mega Millions jackpot was an estimated $1.22 billion, with a one-time cash option of $549.7 million, according to Mega Millions online. Friday, Dec. 27, winning Mega Millions numbers were 3-7-37-49-55 and the Mega Ball was 6. Megaplier was 3x. According to the Florida Lottery, one ticket in California matched all five numbers plus the Mega Ball.
In case you’re wondering, Tuesday, Dec. 24, Christmas Eve’s winning Mega Millions numbers were 11-14-38-45-46 and the Mega Ball was 3. Megaplier was 3x. Though those numbers led to a rollover, it wasn’t all bad news: There were four big winners in Tuesday night’s drawing. Tickets purchased in California, Missouri, Pennsylvania and Wyoming all matched 5 for $1 million prizes.
Less than two weeks ago, the Tuesday, Dec. 17, drawing produced bizarre lottery numbers — and several secondary wins: A ticket from North Carolina matched 5 plus the Megaplier for a $4 million prize. Two tickets purchased in California and one in Louisiana and Oklahoma each matched 5 for $1 million prizes. Tuesday, Dec. 17, winning Mega Millions numbers were 56-66-67-68-69 and the Mega Ball was 18.
Interestingly, that’s not the only oddity in this particular lottery streak, which began, of all days, on Sept. 13, 2024, or Friday the 13th, for $20 million.
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Mega Millions tickets start at $2 apiece. Below are some frequently asked questions about the game, when winning tickets expire in Florida (it differs state by state) and lottery odds. Good luck!
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What were Mega Millions numbers for Friday, December 27, 2024, lottery drawing? 3-7-37-49-55 and the Mega Ball was 6
Mega Millions lottery drawings are at 11 p.m. EST Tuesdays and Fridays. Friday, Dec. 27, winning Mega Millions numbers were 3-7-37-49-55 and the Mega Ball was 6. Megaplier was 3x.
One nice holiday:Will Mega Millions lottery jackpot reach $1 billion by Christmas Eve or New Year’s Eve?
When is the next Mega Millions lottery drawing?
Mega Millions drawings are at 11 p.m. EST Tuesdays and Fridays. The next Mega Millions lottery drawing will be at 11 p.m. EST Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2024, New Year’s Eve, and the last day of 2024.
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How long has Mega Millions rolled over?
The last Mega Millions lottery streak started Friday, Sept. 13, one of two Friday the 13th “holidays” in 2024, after a ticket in Texas won $800 million for matching all five numbers and the Mega Ball. It took a little over three months for the $20 million jackpot to roll over to $800 million.
Below is a recap of lottery drawings for this latest streak and how the jackpot grew over time.
- Friday, Dec. 27: $1.22 billion
- Tuesday, Dec. 24, 2024, or Christmas Eve: $970 million
- Friday, Dec. 20: $862 million
- Tuesday, Dec. 17: $760 million
- Friday, Dec. 13, or Friday the 13th: $695 million
- Tuesday, Dec. 10: $619 million
- Friday, Dec. 6: $579 million
- Tuesday, Dec. 3: $541 million
- Friday, Nov. 29, aka Black Friday: $514 million
- Tuesday, Nov. 26: $489 million
- Friday, Nov. 22: $453 million
- Tuesday, Nov. 19: $420 million
- Friday, Nov. 15: $387 million
- Tuesday, Nov. 12: $361 million
- Friday, Nov. 8: $334 million
- Tuesday, Nov. 5, Election Day 2024: $303 million
- Friday, Nov. 1: $281 million
- Tuesday, Oct. 29: $250 million
- Friday, Oct. 25: $229 million
- Tuesday, Oct. 22: $205 million
- Friday, Oct. 18: $185 million
- Tuesday, Oct. 15: $169 million
- Friday, Oct. 11: $150 million
- Tuesday, Oct. 8: $129 million
- Friday, Oct. 4: $108 million
- Tuesday, Oct. 1: $93 million
- Friday, Sept. 27: $77 million
- Tuesday, Sept. 24: $62 million
- Friday, Sept. 20: $47 million
- Tuesday, Sept. 17: $31 million
- Friday, Sept. 13: $20 million
Record-setting win:After $2.04 billion Powerball, Edwin Castro bought 2 multimillion-dollar homes in 2 weeks
How long do you have to cash in a winning Florida Lottery ticket?
Prizes for Florida Lottery must be claimed within 180 days (six months) from the date of the drawing. To claim a single-payment cash option, a winner has within the first 60 days after the applicable draw date to claim it.
What are the odds of winning Mega Millions?
The odds of winning are pretty low. According to the Mega Millions site, players 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.
Does the Florida Lottery reveal lottery winners? Can you stay anonymous if you win lottery in Florida?
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, 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.”
Lottery experts and lawyers have said there are ways to remain anonymous if you win.
Top 10 biggest Mega Millions lottery jackpots
As of Dec. 27, 2024, these are the largest Mega Millions prizes in the history of the game, according to megamillions.com.
- The largest Mega Millions jackpot won on a single ticket was for $1.58 billion for Aug. 8, 2023, drawing. Final sales pushed the grand prize to $1.602 billion. The winning ticket was sold at a Neptune Beach, Florida, Publix. Saltines Holdings LLC of Miami, Florida, claimed the prize.
- The second-largest Mega Millions jackpot was $1.537 billion, won in South Carolina on Oct. 23, 2018.
- $1.348 billion won in Maine on Jan. 13, 2023
- $1.337 billion won in Illinois on July 29, 2022
- $1.22 billion on Dec. 27, winner TBD from California
- $1.128 billion won in Neptune, New Jersey, on March 26, 2024
- $1.050 billion won in Michigan on Jan. 22, 2021
- $800 million won in Texas on Sept. 10, 2024
- $552 million won in Illinois on June 4, 2024
- $543 million won in California on July 24, 2018
When did lotto jackpots hit $1 billion or more for Mega Millions and Powerball? What are the biggest lottery jackpots in US history?
As of Dec. 27, 2024, there have been 12 lottery jackpots that have reached or surpassed $1 billion. Only once has a jackpot surpassed $2 billion. These are the biggest lottery jackpots in U.S. history.
- $2.04 billion Powerball prize, Nov. 7, 2022, Edwin Castro of Altadena, California
- $1.73 billion Powerball prize, Oct. 11, 2023, Theodorus Struyck of California (ticket purchased at Midway Market in California)
- $1.586 billion Powerball prize, Jan. 13, 2016, Marvin and Mae Acosta of California, Maureen Smith and David Kaltschmidt of Melbourne Beach, Florida, and John and Lisa Robinson of Munford, Tennessee
- $1.58 billion Mega Millions prize, Aug. 8, 2023, Saltines Holdings LLC of Miami, Florida
- $1.537 billion Mega Millions prize, Oct. 23, 2018, won by an anonymous player in South Carolina
- $1.348 billion Mega Millions prize, Jan. 13, 2023, LaKoma Island Investments, LLC, with the ticket purchased in Lebanon, Maine
- $1.337 billion Mega Millions prize, July 29, 2022, won by an anonymous partnership with a ticket purchased in Des Plaines, Illinois
- $1.326 billion Powerball prize, April 6, 2024, Cheng and Duanpen Saephan and Laiza Chao of Oregon
- $1.22 billion Mega Millions, Dec. 27, winner TBD
- $1.128 billion Mega Millions prize, March 26, 2024, won by an anonymous winner in New Jersey with the ticket purchased at ShopRite Liquor No. 781 in Neptune Township, New Jersey
- $1.08 billion Powerball prize, July 19, 2023, Yanira Alvarez of California
- $1.050 billion Mega Millions prize, Jan. 22, 2021, won by the Wolverine FLL Club of Oakland County, Michigan
(This story will be updated to add new information.)
Sangalang is a lead digital producer for USA TODAY Network-Florida. Follow her on Twitter or Instagram at @byjensangalang. Support local journalism. Consider subscribing to a Florida newspaper.
