As the Mega Millions jackpot for Tuesday’s drawing reaches $1 billion and the holiday season is in full effect, the interstate lottery game is experiencing a boost in ticket purchases. 

The Mega Millions Consortium, responsible for managing Mega Millions for the game's participating lotteries and jurisdictions, initially estimated the Christmas Eve jackpot to be approximately $944 million. Nevertheless, following robust sales in the last 48 hours, the promoted jackpot for the 30-year annuity has risen to $1 billion. 

Lottery tickets can be excellent gifts, but advocates for responsible gaming emphasize that they are unsuitable for children and anyone below the legal age for playing. With a value of $1 billion, the jackpot tonight ranks as the seventh-largest in Mega Millions history. 

Top-10 Mega Millions Jackpots — Winning Ticket(s)

• $1.602B — Aug. 8, 2023 — 1, Florida
• $1.537B — Oct. 23, 2018 — 1, South Carolina
• $1.348B — Jan. 13, 2023 — 1, Maine
• $1.337B — July 29, 2022 — 1, Illinois
• $1.128B — March 26, 2024 — 1, New Jersey
• $1.05B — Jan. 22, 2021 — 1, Michigan
• $1B — Dec. 24, 2024 — ??
• $810M — Sept. 10, 2024 — 1, Texas
• $656M — March 30, 2012 — 3, Illinois, Kansas, Maryland
• $648M — Dec. 17, 2013 — 2, California, Georgia

Every winner triumphed over the bleak odds of only one in 302,575,350 by matching the five white balls and the gold Mega Ball. According to the CDC, the chance of being hit by lightning is roughly one in 40 million. Your chances of dying in a plane crash are significantly lower, approximately 1 in 11 million. 

If no one claims victory tonight, the Mega Millions jackpot will roll over for a 30th occurrence in the next drawing on Friday. 

Electronic Sales Enhances Projections 

Mega Millions and Powerball have greatly improved in accurately estimating the actual size of the advertised jackpot, as the majority of sales are now conducted electronically. Electronic vending machines and online sales automatically transmit sales volume data to state lotteries, which then pass the statistics to the Mega Millions Consortium. 

When Mega Millions launched in the 1990s, paper tickets were the top choice for sales volume. Lottery retailers must report the total number of paper ticket sales to their state lottery at the conclusion of each day. 

The $1 billion drawing on Tuesday night takes place at 11 p.m. EST originating from Atlanta. Most states cease selling Mega Millions tickets for that evening’s drawing one hour prior to the draw. 

Prize Distribution 

If a ticket matches the five white balls and the gold Mega Ball, the winner must decide between receiving $1 billion distributed over 30 years or opting for a one-time cash payment of about $448.8 million. 

Following federal taxes, the cash option would be decreased to $282.8 million. The award would subsequently be liable for state taxes in 36 states along with Washington, DC. Different states impose different tax rates on lottery winnings, ranging from 2.5% in Arizona to as much as 10.9% in New York. 

California, Florida, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming stand out as the top states for winning a lottery jackpot, because these states do not tax lottery winnings as income.