Mega Millions Hysteria Grows, as Jackpot Balloons to $630M

Posted on: July 20, 2022, 10:51h. 

Last updated on: July 21, 2022, 11:22h.

Devin O'Connor @CasinoorgDevinO Read More
Expertise: Asia Pacific Gaming, Commercial Gaming, Legislation, Politics.

The Mega Millions jackpot for this Friday, July 22, is an estimated $630 million. The generation-changing sum up for grabs is the fifth-largest prize in the interstate lottery game’s history.

Mega Millions jackpot lottery Powerball
A billboard in Georgia advertising the current Powerball and Mega Millions jackpots stands above a Waffle House. The Mega Millions pot for the July 22, 2022, drawing is an estimated $630 million. (Image: AP)

The fifth-largest Mega Millions jackpot of all time also marks only the fifth time that the game’s top prize has exceeded $600 million. No ticket has matched all five white balls and the gold Mega Ball since the April 15 drawing.

Last night’s winning numbers were 2-31-32-37-70 and the Mega Ball 25.

To win the Mega Millions jackpot, a ticket must match all five white balls out of a possible 70 numbers, plus the gold ball out of 25 possible numbers. The odds of doing so are a measly one in 302.6 million.

With no jackpot win last night, the Mega Millions jackpot rolls over for this Friday’s drawing.

For just the fifth time in the 20-year history of Mega Millions, the jackpot has soared past $600 million,” a Mega Millions statement explained. While Mega Millions debuted in 2002, the game’s origins trace back to 1996 when it was known as the “Big Game.”

The Mega Millions jackpot continues its four-month roll when six numbers will be drawn at 11 pm ET this Friday.

Winners Galore

Though no Mega Millions player has won the jackpot since mid-April, the lottery game has delivered life-changing wins throughout the four-month run. The lottery says more than 17.9 million tickets have won some sort of prize.

However, most of the wins have been the minimal $2 win that simply returns the player’s bet.

There have been noteworthy wins, too. Of the 17.9 million winners, 29 tickets claimed a prize worth $1 million. Four of those $1 million winners were won last night.

Tuesday’s draw also saw 52 tickets match four white balls and the gold Mega Ball for the game’s third-best prize of $10,000. Eleven of those tickets purchased the $1 add-on Megaplier option to take their wins to $30,000 each after the Megaplier last night was 3x.

Mega Millions has sold just four tickets in 2022 that have matched all six numbers. The jackpots came in January and March, and two in April.

Mega Millions officials hope the ever-growing jackpot doesn’t result in jackpot fatigue. The lottery’s release says July has been a lucky month for players in the past, as two of the game’s top 10 jackpot wins have occurred this month. Those wins came in July 2016 ($536 million) and July 2018 ($543 million).

Approaching Halfway Point

At $630 million, the Mega Millions jackpot has a way to go to reach the top and become the largest Mega Millions prize ever. The game’s all-time jackpot record was set in 2018 when a single ticket sold in South Carolina claimed a $1.537 billion prize.

The 2018 Mega Millions jackpot represents the largest lottery win ever claimed by a single person in US history. South Carolina is one of only eight states that allow Mega Millions jackpot winners to remain anonymous, which the lucky winner took advantage of.

Top 5 Mega Millions Jackpots

  1. $1.537B 10/23/2018 — 1-SC
  2. $1.05B 1/22/2021 — 1-MI
  3. $656M 3/30/2012 — 3-IL, KS, MD
  4. $648M 12/17/2013 — 2-CA, GA
  5. $630M 7/22/2022 — ?