WASHINGTON — The Mega Millions jackpot is up to $627 million as another drawing passes without a jackpot winner.
But for two separate lottery players in South Carolina, the day just started off with a significant amount of money. Both tickets matched all five white balls, earning their owner $1 million, but one of the ticketholders purchased the "Megaplier" option, multiplying their winnings by 2x.
The prize has steadily grown over the last few months, and it is the ninth largest Mega Millions prize in the lottery game's history.
Mega Millions' most recent winner was an anonymous player in Illinois who won a $552 million jackpot ($260.2 million cash) on June 4. Huge jackpot wins have been the norm in 2024: A ticket sold in New Jersey hit a $1.13 billion Mega Millions jackpot in March, and a Powerball ticket in Oregon won a jackpot worth more than $1.3 billion in April.
The odds of winning the jackpot are one in 302,575,350.
Mega Millions winning numbers for Tuesday, August 27, 2024
The winning numbers for Tuesday, Aug. 27 were 16, 18, 21, 54, 65, Mega Ball 5, and 2x Megaplier.
When a winner matches all five numbers and the Mega Ball, they have the option to take the full jackpot paid out as an annuity over 30 years, or a smaller lump sum cash payout. Winners almost always take the cash option, which was $286.9 million for Tuesday's drawing.
Players who match only the first five numbers win at least $1 million.
What time is the Mega Millions drawing?
Mega Millions drawings take place on Tuesday and Friday at 11 p.m. Eastern Time.
What are the largest US lottery jackpots ever won?
- $2.04 billion: Powerball - Nov. 7, 2022
- $1.76 billion – Powerball - Oct. 11, 2023
- $1.586 billion: Powerball – Jan. 13, 2016
- $1.58 billion: Mega Millions – Aug. 8, 2023
- $1.537 billion: Mega Millions – Oct. 23, 2018
- $1.35 billion: Mega Millions - Jan. 13, 2023
- $1.337 billion: Mega Millions - July 29, 2022
- $1.326 billion: Powerball – April, 6, 2024
- $1.13 billion: Mega Millions - March 26, 2024
- $1.08 billion: Powerball – July 19, 2023
