The holiday season may be the perfect time to buy a lottery ticket, as tonight’s Mega Millions drawing could yield a jackpot nearing $1 billion – a record-breaking prize for December. The previous day’s winning numbers were 2, 20, 51, 56, and 67, with the Mega Ball being 19.
The current jackpot has surged to $862 million, up from an initial projection of $825 million, making it the largest prize ever offered in the month. If someone wins tonight, they can choose to take home a lump sum of $392.1 million. The Mega Millions organization is calling this year “unusual” due to its record-breaking jackpots.
This year has seen some extraordinary wins, including September’s $800 million jackpot and June’s $552 million win in Illinois. However, one ticket remains unclaimed, worth a whopping $1.13 billion, from the March 26 drawing. In December alone, there have been 13 previous jackpots won during the holiday season.
The odds of winning on Christmas Day haven’t been as high, but this year’s Mega Millions jackpot could be the exception. With sales increasing during the holidays, the organization is hopeful that someone will come forward and claim a prize. The current jackpot is an enticing opportunity for players to dream big and imagine their Christmas being “amazing.”
Source: https://edition.cnn.com/2024/12/20/business/mega-millions-jackpot-holiday-season/index.html