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Edit: The jackpot for the December 24 Mega Millions draw has been updated from $970M to $1B. This article has been updated to reflect this change.
Santa might need a bigger stocking this year. The Mega Millions jackpot has soared to an estimated $1 billion for the Christmas Eve drawing, offering lottery players a chance at what could become the largest December prize in the game's history.
The massive prize, which carries a cash option of $429.4 million, rolled over after Friday's drawing produced no jackpot winner. The winning numbers were white balls 2, 20, 51, 56, 67, and gold Mega Ball 19.
A Christmas Eve miracle has happened before
The game has seen thirteen December jackpot wins since its 2002 inception. Only one occurred on Christmas Eve - a $68 million prize won in New York in 2002. That prize went unclaimed, with the funds returning to participating states based on their sales contribution.
Recent winners across the nation
While the jackpot remains elusive, the December 20 drawing created millions of winners across other prize tiers. Five tickets matched all five white balls to win $1 million each, with two sold in Indiana and one each in Arkansas, Illinois, and Pennsylvania. Another 48 tickets won third-tier prizes by matching four white balls plus the Mega Ball.
The current jackpot run has generated substantial wins since the last jackpot winner in Texas on September 10. More than 21.4 million winning tickets have been sold, including 56 second-tier prizes of $1 million or more across 24 states.
2024: A rare year for jackpot wins
This year has seen only three Mega Millions jackpot wins - the fewest in the game's history. The most recent was a $810 million prize won in Texas this September. Earlier wins included a record-breaking online prize of $552 million in Illinois on June 4 and a $1.13 billion prize in New Jersey on March 26, which was just claimed by an anonymous player.
Recent regional success stories
Lucky streaks have blessed several states recently. Michigan celebrated when The Breakfast Club lottery club claimed an $842.4 million Powerball jackpot on January 1, 2024. Maryland has seen multiple wins, with five Mega Millions prizes of $10,000 or more awarded in the past week. Pennsylvania players haven't missed out either - a lucky ticket worth $1 million was sold at Country Fair in Linesville for the December 20 drawing.
How to play
Tickets cost $2 each and are sold in 45 states, Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Players can add the Megaplier option for an additional dollar to multiply non-jackpot prizes. Drawings take place at 11 p.m. Eastern Time on Tuesdays and Fridays in Atlanta, Georgia.
The odds of winning any Mega Millions prize are 1 in 24, while the jackpot odds are 1 in 302,575,350. Half of all ticket sale proceeds remain in the state where the ticket was purchased, supporting local causes and retailer commissions.
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