The Mega Millions Drawing: A Thrilling Game of Chance

August 2, 2023 Finley Delouche

The Mega Millions lottery drawing on July 29, 2022 created an enormous amount of buzz and excitement across the country, as the jackpot swelled to a whopping $1.28 billion. This makes it the second largest Mega Millions jackpot in the game's 20 year history. The winning numbers selected in this historic drawing were: 13-36-45-57-67, Mega Ball: 14.

While there was only one jackpot winner, millions of other players won smaller prizes that night. In this blog post, we'll break down all the key details about the epic Mega Millions drawing and look at the chances of winning for different types of bets. We'll also provide several calls to action to try your luck with our own Mega Millions number generator here.

Overview of the Mega Millions Game

Mega Millions is a popular multi-state lottery game played across most of the U.S. Players select five main numbers from 1-70 and one Mega Ball number from 1-25. To win the jackpot, you must match all six numbers drawn.

There are nine different prize tiers in Mega Millions ranging from $2 for matching just the Mega Ball up to the jackpot for matching all six. The odds of winning the jackpot are about 1 in 302 million. The overall odds of winning any prize are 1 in 24.

Mega Millions drawings are held every Tuesday and Friday evening at 11 p.m. ET. Tickets cost $2 per play. Many states allow players to buy multi-draw tickets good for up to 10 consecutive drawings.

Feeling lucky? Try your hand at choosing winning Mega Millions numbers right now with our handy number generator here.

Breaking Down the $1.28 Billion Jackpot

The July 29 Mega Millions jackpot started rolling over on April 19 with no winners in each successive drawing. As weeks went by with no winners, the excitement and jackpot total kept increasing exponentially.

In the final drawing, the cash value option for the $1.28 billion jackpot was an estimated $747.2 million. The winner has the choice between receiving the full jackpot spread out over 30 annual payments or taking the reduced lump sum cash option.

This jackpot eclipsed the previous Mega Millions record of $1.05 billion set on January 22, 2021. It's the fourth largest lottery jackpot in U.S. history.

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Distribution of Lower-Tier Winners

While only one lucky ticket matched all six numbers to win the jackpot, there were over five million other winning tickets at the lower prize levels:

5 tickets matched 5 numbers plus the Mega Ball ($1 million each)
17 tickets matched 5 numbers but missed the Mega Ball ($1 million each)
353 tickets matched 4 numbers plus the Mega Ball ($10,000 each)
739 tickets matched 4 numbers but missed the Mega Ball ($500 each)
92,715 tickets matched 3 numbers plus Mega Ball ($150 each)
766,631 tickets matched 3 numbers but missed Mega Ball ($10 each)
1,688,488 tickets matched 2 numbers plus Mega Ball ($10 each)
3,362,886 tickets matched 1 number plus the Mega Ball ($4 each)
22,221,471 tickets matched just the Mega Ball ($2 each)

So in total, over 5.35 million prizes were awarded on July 29 ranging from $2 to $1 million. Even if you didn't hit the jackpot, players still had decent odds of winning something.

Want to try your luck at matching 5, 4, or 3 numbers? Get some ticket ideas now with our Mega Millions number generator.

Mega Millions Odds and Probabilities

The odds of winning the Mega Millions jackpot are only about 1 in 302 million. This means you have a better chance of getting struck by lightning or attacked by a shark.

But the overall odds of winning any prize are much more favorable at around 1 in 24. Here is a breakdown of the odds for each prize tier:

Jackpot (match 5 + Mega Ball): 1 in 302,575,350
Match 5: 1 in 12,607,306
Match 4 + MB: 1 in 931,001
Match 4: 1 in 38,792
Match 3 + MB: 1 in 14,547
Match 3: 1 in 606
Match 2 + MB: 1 in 721
Match 1 + MB: 1 in 89
Match MB only: 1 in 37

As you can see, your best odds beyond the jackpot are matching 5 numbers or 4 numbers plus the Mega Ball. But even matching just 2 numbers plus the Mega Ball yields decent odds of a $10 prize.

Want to try beating the odds and winning a prize? Get your lucky numbers now with our Mega Millions number generator.

Where the Winning Ticket Was Sold

The single jackpot winning ticket for the $1.28 billion Mega Millions drawing was sold at a Speedway gas station in the Chicago suburb of Des Plaines, Illinois.

The specific Speedway location was at 885 East Touhy Avenue. The store will receive a $500,000 bonus from Mega Millions for selling the jackpot winner.

As of now, the winner has not yet come forward to claim the record prize. They have 12 months from the date of the drawing to do so.

If you bought a ticket from that Speedway, be sure to check your numbers! Otherwise, get some new lucky numbers for the next drawing from our Mega Millions number generator.

Biggest Mega Millions and Lottery Jackpots Ever

Here is a quick look at the Top 10 biggest lottery jackpots in U.S. history:

$1.586 Billion - Powerball - January 13, 2016
$1.537 Billion - Mega Millions - October 23, 2018
$1.05 Billion - Mega Millions - January 22, 2021
$1.28 Billion - Mega Millions - July 29, 2022
$768.4 Million - Powerball - March 27, 2019
$758.7 Million - Powerball - August 23, 2017
$731.1 Million - Powerball - January 20, 2021
$699.8 Million - Powerball - October 4, 2021
$687.8 Million - Powerball - October 27, 2018
$656 Million - Mega Millions - March 30, 2012

As you can see, Mega Millions and Powerball have dominated the biggest jackpots, with Mega Millions now claiming two out of the top four. The July 29 jackpot was certainly one for the history books that captivated the nation.

Think you can predict the next record jackpot winning numbers? Get your possible numbers now from our Mega Millions number generator.

Changes to Mega Millions Game in Recent Years

Mega Millions has made some important changes to the game in recent years that have resulted in larger jackpots:

October 2017 - Mega Millions changed the matrix of balls making it harder to win the jackpot. The odds increased from 1 in 258 million to 1 in 302 million.
October 2017 - Mega Millions doubled the ticket price from $1 to $2 and increased starting jackpots from $15 million to $40 million.
April 2020 - Mega Millions added a new $10 prize for matching just the Mega Ball. Lower tier prizes also increased.

These changes have enabled Mega Millions jackpots to roll over more frequently and swell to record amounts like the recent $1.28 billion jackpot. The days of $20 or $30 million jackpots are likely gone for good.

Take a shot at the next huge Mega Millions jackpot and get your ticket numbers from our Mega Millions number generator here.

Advice on Playing Mega Millions

Playing the Mega Millions lottery is fun and offers the chance to win huge jackpots. Here is some useful advice on playing:

Only spend what you can afford to lose. Never spend money on Mega Millions at the expense of necessities.
Think of the ticket cost as buying 2+ hours of entertainment. You can't go to a movie for $2.
Always check your tickets after the drawing to make sure you didn't make a mistake. Many prizes expire unclaimed.
Consider pooling your money with friends or coworkers to buy more tickets and increase your odds.
Use Quick Pick or auto pick options to get randomly generated numbers. Don't try choosing "lucky" numbers.
With huge jackpots, buy your tickets early to avoid long lines at retailers before the drawing.
Seek professional financial advice right away if you win a big prize before claiming it.
Have fun and remember that your chance of winning might be small but it's still greater than zero!

Get your next batch of Quick Pick numbers generated right now with our handy Mega Millions number generator.

The Future Outlook for Mega Millions

The Mega Millions lottery is likely to continue smashing records and creating huge jackpot winners for years to come. With more states participating than ever before, the game's popularity keeps increasing.

It probably won't be long before we see another jaw-dropping billion dollar jackpot. As inflation reduces the value of a dollar over time, it's inevitable that we'll eventually see a $2 billion or even $5 billion Mega Millions jackpot.

Be sure to keep playing Mega Millions for your shot at becoming the next big jackpot winner! It just takes one lucky ticket to change your life in an instant.

Start picking your potential winning numbers right now with our Mega Millions number generator. Good luck!