The Mega Millions jackpot has reached $1.25 billion ahead of Friday’s drawing after no one matched all six numbers Tuesday.
Tuesday’s drawing is the fourth-largest Mega Millions jackpot ever, with a $625.3 million cash option.
The jackpot has been on the rise since spring, when a $20 million prize was won in Syracuse, New York on April 18. Five other Mega Millions jackpots have been won this year, including a $1.348 billion haul in January, which was the second largest prize in the lottery game’s history.
Here are the winning numbers for Tuesday night.
Mega Millions winning numbers for August 1
The winning numbers from Tuesday’s drawing were 8, 24, 61, 45 and 30. The Mega Ball was 12 and the Megaplier was 4X.
There were some big winners Friday night, just not a winner of the biggest prize. One winner in Pennsylvania won $5 million, matching all five white balls and the Megaplier. Four others – one in Pennsylvania, Arizona, California and New York – each won $1 million prizes, matching the five white balls.
First time playing the Mega Millions?Here’s exactly how to ask the cashier for a ticket.
How to play Mega Millions
Tickets to Mega Millions cost $2 per play. There are nine total ways to win a prize.
To play, pick five numbers from 1 to 70 and one Mega Ball number from 1 to 25. You can choose Easy Pick or Quick Pick to have the terminal randomly pick numbers for you. You win the jackpot by matching all six winning numbers in the drawing.
What is the Megaplier?
Most states offer the Megaplier feature, which increases non-jackpot prizes by two, three, four and five times.
It costs an additional $1 per play. Before each regular Mega Millions drawing, the Megaplier is drawn. From a pool of 15 balls, five are marked with “2X,” three with “4X” and one with “5X.”
What is the largest Mega Millions jackpot ever?
At $1.05 billion, Tuesday’s Mega Millions will equal the fourth-largest jackpot in the lottery’s history. Here’s where the other record-holders stand:
- $1.537 billion from one winning ticket in South Carolina in October 2018.
- $1.348 billion from one winning ticket in Maine in January 2023.
- $1.337 billion from one winning ticket in Illinois in July 2022.
- $1.05 billion from one winning ticket in Michigan in January 2021.
- $1.05 billion (estimated, August 1, 2023).