Mega Millions Jackpot Reaches $253 Million After No Winner in Latest Drawing

The Mega Millions numbers for the Friday, August 22 drawing have been announced, revealing that no participant clinched the elusive jackpot prize, which had soared to an estimated $234 million with a cash option of $105.1 million. The winning numbers were 18, 30, 44, 48, 50, and the Mega Ball was 12.

While the grand prize remained unattained, various prizes were distributed across states. Notably in Ohio, the drawing generated over 10,000 winners of various amounts, ranging from $10 to $2,000. In New York, the fourth-place winners garnered payouts between $1,000 and $2,500, thanks to the ticket's built-in multiplier.

As per the lottery regulations, the jackpot will now increase to $253 million for the upcoming draw, scheduled for Tuesday, August 26. The lottery's format allows players to select five numbers from a pool of 70 white balls and one Mega Ball from a separate pool of 24 numbers, with the added option of an automatic Easy Pick or Quick Pick feature to randomly assign numbers.

The Mega Millions tickets, priced at $5, come with an automatic built-in multiplier, which enhances the non-jackpot winnings by two, three, four, five, or ten times. This feature replaces the former Megaplier option, ensuring each play includes a chance at multiplying winnings, potentially transforming smaller prizes into more substantial payouts.

Clearly defined prizes are available for matching different combinations of numbers. For example, matching five white balls and the Mega Ball secures the jackpot, while matching only the five white balls yields prizes between $2 million and $10 million. Additionally, lesser combinations involving the Mega Ball offer tiered prize levels, ranging from $10 to $100 for matching fewer balls.

The odds of securing the Mega Millions jackpot stand at 1 in 290,472,336, emphasizing the challenge of hitting the exact combination needed to claim the top prize. However, a variety of other prize levels provide opportunities for participants to win smaller amounts, maintaining widespread appeal.

Prize winners have the option to choose between two payout methods: an annuity or a cash payment. The annuity is structured as one immediate payment followed by annual payouts over 29 years, each increasing by 5% to keep pace with inflation and preserve purchasing power. The cash payment, in contrast, disburses the entire jackpot prize pool amount as a one-time lump sum.

The next Mega Millions drawing will take place on Tuesday, with sales closing shortly before the draw. In Michigan, ticket sales are available until 10:45 p.m. on the night of the draw. Similarly, in New York, sales continue until 10 p.m. Players have multiple venues for purchasing tickets, from in-person at convenience stores, gas stations, and grocery stores to select online platforms in certain states.

With both potential financial windfall and the thrill of the game, Mega Millions remains a popular choice for lottery enthusiasts. While securing the jackpot remains statistically challenging, the variety of winning options and the anticipation of each draw sustain widespread participation and interest across the participating states and territories.