$18.85M and counting: Megabucks jackpot reaches new territory

The Massachusetts Lottery's Megabucks jackpot has climbed to $18.85 million. It is the third-largest jackpot in the game's history. Tonight's drawing closes at 9:00 p.m. ET. The cash option sits at $12.62 million before taxes.

How we got here

No one has hit the Megabucks jackpot since April 21, 2025. That winner, in Hyde Park, took home just under $2 million. Since then, the pot has been building for over a year.

The record stands at $21.7 million, split among eight winners back in 1985. The largest single-ticket win was $16.35 million in 2022, claimed by a player in Ware under the game's former name, Megabucks Doubler. At $18.85 million, tonight's jackpot sits between those two marks. This is territory the game hasn't seen in decades.

Monday night's winners

Three tickets matched five of six numbers in Monday's drawing, each worth $5,000:

• New Bedford: Trucchi's Market #5
• Dracut: Dracut Center Convenience
• Cambridge: Shell

Close but not close enough. The jackpot rolls on.

The odds

Megabucks draws every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday at 9:00 p.m. ET. Players pick six numbers between 1 and 44. Each play costs $2.

The odds of hitting the jackpot are 1 in 7,059,052. The odds of winning any prize are 1 in 39.3. The $5,000 second prize, matching five of six, comes in at 1 in 30,961.

How to play Megabucks

Playing Megabucks is straightforward. Here's what you need to know.

1. Pick your numbers: Choose six numbers between 1 and 44. Not feeling lucky? Ask for a Quic Pic and the Lottery computer picks for you. Each play costs $2.
2. Choose your drawings: Want to play the same numbers more than once? Mark how many drawings you want on your bet slip. Your numbers carry over automatically.
3. Get your ticket: Hand your completed bet slip to a Lottery Sales Agent or just ask for a Quic Pic at the counter. Check your ticket before you leave. All sales are final. Sign the back to prove ownership.

What's at stake tonight

$18.85 million. A cash option of $12.62 million. The drawing closes tonight at 9:00 p.m.

The jackpot has been building for more than a year. Someone will break the streak eventually. With the third-largest prize in Megabucks history on the line, tonight is as good a time as any.