$740M Mega Millions Jackpot is the 8th-Largest Ever

If you are one of those people who are only interested in playing the lottery when the jackpot hits sky high levels, it may be time for you to get in the game.

The jackpot jumps to an estimated $740 million ($342.9 million cash) after no ticket matched all six numbers drawn Friday night – the white balls 36, 43, 52, 58 and 65, plus the gold Mega Ball 16.

If you won tonight's jackpot, it would be the eighth largest in Mega Millions history. The jackpot has been rolling since it was last won at $810 million in Texas on September 10.

You Can Still Win Big Without Winning the Jackpot

While the jackpot remains elusive, there are plenty of other winning tickets. In the December 13 drawing alone, there were a total of 1,256,298 winning tickets across all non-jackpot prize levels.

In the 27 drawings of this current jackpot run that began on September 13, there have been almost 17.8 million winning tickets sold. These include 46 second-tier prizes of $1 million or more, including one in New Jersey.

Mega Millions Jackpot Facts

- Mega Millions is the only lottery game that has produced six jackpots greater than $1 billion.

- The Mega Millions jackpot has been won only three times in 2024, so far the fewest won in any single year since the game began.

- On March 26, a $1.128 billion prize was won in New Jersey. That winning ticket was sold in a ShopRite Supermarket liquor store in Neptune. No one has yet come forward to claim that March 26 jackpot; the ticket will expire if not claimed by March 26, 2025.