Megabucks jackpot climbs to $17M, nearing all-time record

The jackpot for the Massachusetts State Lottery Megabucks continues to surge, with Saturday night's drawing offering an estimated $17.15 million prize. It is quickly approaching the top three jackpots in the game's history.

Fourth-largest jackpot on record

The growing jackpot has already secured its place as the fourth-largest Massachusetts Megabucks jackpot ever recorded, and if no ticket matches all six numbers in Saturday's drawing, the jackpot could surpass the $18.2 million prize awarded in March 1984 to become the third-largest jackpot in the game's 44-year history.

Players also have the option of taking an estimated cash payout worth approximately $11.6 million.

Largest in decades

The current run marks the biggest Megabucks jackpot seen in Massachusetts since the mid-1980s, when the game regularly produced record-setting prizes.

The largest jackpot in Megabucks history remains a $21.7 million prize from Oct. 16, 1985. That jackpot was split among eight winning tickets and was considered one of the biggest lottery prizes in the country at the time.

The second-largest jackpot came just a few months later, reaching more than $21.1 million in January 1986. Megabucks first launched in 1982 and remains available exclusively in Massachusetts.

The largest Megabucks jackpot ever won on a single ticket was a $16.35 million prize claimed from the Sept. 10, 2022, drawing. The winning ticket was sold in Ware when the game was still operating under the name Megabucks Doubler.

Over a year of rollovers

The jackpot has rolled over since April 21, 2025, when a $1.97 million ticket sold in Hyde Park matched all six numbers.

Recent changes helped grow jackpots

Lottery officials say updates made to the game in 2023 were designed to generate larger jackpots more frequently while also improving the overall value of non-jackpot prizes.

The overhaul included the return of the original Megabucks name, improved odds, increased payouts for smaller prizes, and the addition of a third weekly drawing.

Since those changes were introduced, jackpots have climbed faster and attracted renewed interest from longtime lottery players across the state.

How to play

Players purchase tickets through authorized Massachusetts Lottery retailers. Megabucks tickets cost $2 per play, and players choose six numbers between 1 and 44 in hopes of matching all six numbers drawn.

Drawings are held every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday at 9 p.m., with ticket sales closing shortly before each drawing.

Lottery officials encourage players to review tickets carefully after purchase and sign the back of the tickets to help establish ownership if they win.

Where Massachusetts lottery revenue goes

Revenue generated by lottery ticket sales is returned to Massachusetts municipalities through unrestricted local aid, helping communities fund services like public safety, road maintenance, schools, libraries, parks, and other local programs.

Lottery officials have said the system has returned billions of dollars to cities and towns since its launch in the 1970s.