The Mega Millions® jackpot continues to rise, reaching a staggering $1.25 billion ($625.3 million cash) for the next drawing on Friday, August 4, after no winning ticket matched all six numbers drawn on Tuesday night. This colossal prize would become the fourth-largest in Mega Millions history, creating a nationwide buzz of excitement and anticipation.
Since its last win on April 18, the jackpot has been rolling for 31 consecutive draws, contributing to a surge in winning tickets at all prizes. In the most recent drawing on August 1, 4,904,910 tickets were won across various prize tiers, further fueling the lottery frenzy.
Gretchen Corbin, the lead director of the Mega Millions Consortium and President, and CEO of the Georgia Lottery, expressed gratitude towards players and hardworking retailers, emphasizing the growing jackpot's positive impact on supporting good causes through lottery sales. Corbin remarked, "There's always an air of excitement around the country when Mega Millions jackpots soar... We are grateful for our players, appreciate our hardworking retailers, and remind everyone to play responsibly."
The Mega Millions game offers various prize tiers, with seven tickets matching the five white balls in the most recent drawing, winning the second-tier prize. One lucky ticket sold in Texas, worth $4 million, included the optional Megaplier, which multiplies the prize amount. Texas has been fortunate for second-tier prizes, having introduced the Megaplier option in December 2003.
Apart from Texas, Match 5 winning tickets were also sold in California (two), Massachusetts, New York, North Carolina, and Wisconsin. In total, 135 tickets across the country matched four white balls plus the Mega Ball, earning them the third-tier prize. Of these, 28 tickets, including the Megaplier option, are worth $40,000 each, while the remaining 107 tickets win the standard $10,000 prize.
The Mega Millions game has seen a flurry of winners at various prize levels since April 18, totaling over 31.3 million winning tickets. These non-jackpot prizes range from $2 up to a remarkable $5 million; among them, there have been 53 second-tier prizes worth $1 million or more. These substantial wins have occurred in 23 different jurisdictions from coast to coast, highlighting the game's random and widespread nature.
The year started with an unprecedented streak of six jackpot winners in less than four months, a figure typically seen in an entire year. Maine led the charge with the second-largest prize in Mega Millions history, a jaw-dropping $1.348 billion on January 13. Subsequently, New York and Massachusetts each secured quick jackpot wins, with two separate wins in the latter state. This historic event marked the first time two jackpots won in the same state in consecutive drawings.
With the current Mega Millions jackpot reaching $1.25 billion, the nation awaits Friday's drawing with bated breath, hoping for a life-changing fortune. As the excitement builds, the lottery continues to captivate players nationwide, reminding everyone to play responsibly and dream big.
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