Powerball and Mega Millions jackpots approach record highs. When are the next drawings?
.jpg "Powerball and Mega Millions jackpots soar as they near record prizes.")
Powerball and Mega Millions jackpots have soared to over half a billion as both games near new records.
No one has won either game’s jackpot since April, allowing the jackpots to grow to increasingly impressive heights.
The Powerball jackpot swelled to $725 million ahead of the Wednesday, July 12, drawing, making it the seventh largest jackpot in the game’s history.
Mega Millions also landed the No. 7 spot among its top 10 jackpots in history with a $560 million jackpot. The next drawing is Friday, July 14.
Although no one was won the Powerball jackpot, some players have still been lucky. One person in California matched five out of the six winning numbers, scoring $352,712 during the Monday, July 10, drawing, McClatchy News previously reported.
Three Mega Millions players, from California, South Dakota and Wisconsin, also matched five white balls during the July 11 drawing to win the “second-tier prize of $1 million.”
But the California winner who bought the winning ticket in Los Angeles won’t go home with $1 million. Instead, they scored $365,095.
In California, all Powerball and Mega Millions prize levels are based on pari-mutuel calculations. They “vary depending on ticket sales and number of winners and will differ from the fixed prizes shown on the Mega Millions website.”
What to know about Mega Millions
To score a jackpot in the Mega Millions, a player must match all five white balls and the gold Mega Ball.
The odds of scoring a jackpot prize are 1 in 302,575,350.
Tickets cost $2 and can be bought on the day of the drawing, but sales times vary by state.
Drawings are held Tuesdays and Fridays at 11 p.m. ET and can be streamed online.
Mega Millions is played in 45 states, Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
What to know about Powerball
To score a jackpot in the Powerball, a player must match all five white balls and the red Powerball.
The odds of scoring the jackpot prize are 1 in 292,201,338.
Tickets cost $2 and can be bought on the day of the drawing, but sales times vary by state.
Drawings are broadcast Saturdays, Mondays and Wednesdays at 10:59 p.m. ET and can be streamed online.
Powerball is played in 45 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
This story was originally published July 12, 2023 at 12:42 PM with the headline "Powerball and Mega Millions jackpots approach record highs. When are the next drawings?."
