The Mega Millions jackpot rose to $244 million ahead of the Sept. 18 drawing, with a cash value of $103.5 million.
If someone were to win on Friday, they’d have two options: take a one-time, lump-sum cash payment or receive an immediate payment followed by annual checks, each 5% larger than the previous year.
The last time someone won the Mega Millions was on July 28 when a Florida player took home a staggering $800 million jackpot with a cash value of $344.2 million. According to Florida lottery officials, the winning ticket was sold at a Wawa in Bradenton, Florida.
With Friday’s Mega Millions drawing only hours away, here is what you need to know.
What are the winning Mega Millions numbers for Sept. 18?
USA TODAY will post the winning numbers for Friday’s Mega Millions lottery after the drawing at 11 p.m. ET
When is the next Mega Millions drawing?
The next Mega Millions drawing is scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 22, at 11 p.m. ET.
A Mega Millions lottery slip is pictured.
Top 10 Mega Millions Jackpots
-
$1.602 billion on Aug. 8, 2023, in Florida
-
$1.537 billion on Oct. 23, 2018, in South Carolina
-
$1.348 billion on Jan. 1, 2023, in Maine
-
$1.337 billion on July 29, 2022, in Illinois
-
$1.269 billion on Dec. 27, 2024, in California
-
$1.128 billion on Mar. 26, 2024, in New Jersey
-
$1.05 billion on Jan. 22, 2021, in Michigan
-
$983 million on Nov. 14, 2025, in Georgia
-
$810 million on Sept. 10, 2024, in Texas
-
$803 million on July 28, 2026, in Florida
How to play the Mega Millions
To play the Mega Millions, you have to buy a ticket. You can do this at several locations, including your local convenience store, gas station, or even grocery store.
In some states, Mega Millions tickets can be purchased online.
Once you have your ticket, you need to pick six numbers. Five of them will be white balls with numbers 1 to 70. The gold Mega Ball ranges from 1 to 24.
If you’re feeling especially unlucky or don’t want to go through the hassle of picking, you can ask for a “Quick Pick“ or an ”Easy Pick.” These options let the computer randomly generate numbers for you.
Mega Millions tickets now include a built-in multiplier, which increases non-jackpot prizes by two, three, four, five, or 10 times. Before, players had to pay an extra dollar to add the “Megaplier.”
Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach him at fernando.cervantes@usatodayco.com and follow him on X @fern_cerv_.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Mega Millions jackpot grows to $244M for Sept. 18 drawing
Leave a Reply