Mega Millions Jackpot Skyrockets with Unusual Number Sequence

In an unprecedented twist, four out of the five numbers drawn for the Mega Millions lottery on Tuesday night formed a consecutive sequence: 56-66-67-68-69. This peculiar combination, however, did not yield a winner in the United States. As a result, the jackpot prize surged from $740 million to an impressive $825 million. The cash option for the upcoming draw, scheduled for the evening of December 20, now stands at $382.2 million. The Mega Ball was 18 and the Megaplier was 4x.

While no one secured the grand prize, five tickets matched all five white balls, winning the game's second-tier prize. Among these, one ticket sold in North Carolina included the optional Megaplier, earning a prize of four million dollars. The other four tickets, sold in California (2), Louisiana, and Oklahoma, will receive a million dollars each. Should a winner emerge this Friday, it could mark the largest prize ever won in December and the seventh largest in Mega Millions history since its inception in 2002.

Historical Mega Millions Prizes

Mega Millions has a history of awarding substantial jackpots. The most recent major win was on September 10 when a player in Texas claimed $810 million. Previously, a New Jersey resident won $1.13 billion on March 26, and a California player took home $395 million last December. Other notable prizes include $360 million in October and a staggering $1.58 billion won by a lucky individual in Florida in August—the largest jackpot in Mega Millions history. However, the biggest lottery prize in the U.S. remains the $2.04 billion Powerball jackpot won in California in 2022.

How to Play Mega Millions

To participate in Mega Millions, players select six numbers: five from 1 to 70 (white balls) and one from 1 to 25 (the golden Mega Ball). Players can also opt for the Easy Pick/Quick Pick feature, which generates a random selection. There are nine ways to win, with prizes ranging from two dollars to the grand jackpot.

Winners of the jackpot have two payout options. The first is an annuity, which starts with an immediate payment followed by 29 annual payments that increase by 5% each year to maintain purchasing power. The second option is a lump-sum cash payment, subject to state and federal taxes.

Mega Millions tickets are available for purchase in 45 states, as well as the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The game is not offered in Alabama, Alaska, Hawaii, Nevada, and Utah. Tickets cost two dollars, and drawings occur every Tuesday and Friday at 11:00 p.m. ET.

Launched on August 31, 1996, as "The Big Game," the first Mega Millions drawing took place on September 6 of that year with six participating states: Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, and Virginia. Since then, Mega Millions has grown to become one of the most popular and lucrative lotteries in the United States.