Mega Millions Capping Off Wild Lottery Year With Largest New Year’s Jackpot Ever

Posted on: December 26, 2022, 12:17h. 

Last updated on: December 26, 2022, 12:43h.

Devin O'Connor @CasinoorgDevinO Read More
Expertise: Asia Pacific Gaming, Commercial Gaming, Legislation, Politics.

Mega Millions and Powerball had a year unlike any other in 2022. For the first time in their long histories, both games delivered 10-figure jackpots in the same year. And Mega Millions isn’t done with 2022.

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A Mega Millions player chooses six numbers. The Mega Millions jackpot for the game’s Dec. 27 drawing is an estimated $565 million. (Image: Getty)

With just two drawings remaining this year, Mega Millions is ready to make history yet again in 2022. With no tickets matching the six winning numbers during the drawing last Friday, Dec. 23, the Mega Millions jackpot for tomorrow night is an estimated $565 million.

Mega Millions officials say at $565 million, the drawing is already poised to become the richest lottery jackpot prize ever offered during the final week of any year. If no ticket matches the winning numbers tomorrow night, the jackpot will roll over for the Friday, Dec. 30, Mega Millions drawing.

As we move past Christmas, the largest Mega Millions jackpot ever offered in the last week of any calendar year is set for Tuesday, Dec. 27,” a Mega Million statement read. “If the jackpot is won on Tuesday, it would be the sixth largest prize in the history of the game.”

The largest Mega Millions prize ever won occurred during the Oct. 23, 2018, drawing, when a single player in South Carolina won a $1.537 billion prize. The lottery game’s second-largest jackpot was hit just this year, when a single ticket sold in Illinois won the July 29 drawing to claim a $1.337 billion prize.

Historic Year

No year has ever been as good for lottery players as 2022 — at least in terms of life-changing jackpots.

It was only last month that a single ticket sold in California won a $2.04 billion Powerball jackpot. It was the first time ever in the US that a lottery jackpot was upwards of $2 billion.

The record win easily bested the previous all-time richest jackpot won in US history, a $1.586 billion Powerball jackpot that was split three ways in January 2016.

2022 was a banner year for Powerball and Mega Millions. The games regularly saw their jackpots grow to headline-generating highs, as five of the top 25 largest lottery jackpots were hit during the past 12 months.

If Mega Millions is hit before the New Year, 2022 will account for six of the top 25 largest jackpots ever won. A $565 million jackpot would rank no. 16 all-time in the US.

Powerball Tops $200M

Though Powerball’s record-setting achievements are done for 2022, the other popular interstate lottery game has three more drawings before the year is done.

Powerball’s estimated jackpot for its drawing tonight is $201 million. The game is drawn three times a week on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays.

To crack the top 25 largest lottery jackpots list, the Powerball prize will need to balloon quickly to at least $473.1 million for the game’s drawing on New Year’s Eve.

The odds of winning the Mega Millions jackpot is one in 302.5 million. Powerball is slightly better at one in about 292 million.