Lucky Lakers Land Luka As Lottery Levels Leap

Luka Doncic was traded by the Dallas Mavericks to the Los Angeles Lakers in a stunning move over the weekend. Stunning because A) he’s arguably one of the three best basketball players currently living on planet Earth, B) because he still hasn’t hit his prime at age 25, and C) while the Mavs got All-Star C/F Anthony Davis back in the deal, that’s about all they got.

NBA watchers (rightly) believed the Mavericks could’ve gotten a whole lot more for the star.

In lottery terms: It would be like trading a $500 million jackpot for a $100 million jackpot.

Speaking of the lottery and Doncic, the two share something this week.

Wednesday’s Powerball drawing is for an estimated $113 million — which is just about what Doncic won’t be getting paid this summer.

See, according to the rules of NBA contracts, Doncic was eligible for a so-called “super max” contract, which would’ve paid him $345 million over five years if he stayed with Dallas. But since he got traded, he’s capped at around $229 million for the five years, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks. That’s a hit to him of $116 million.

So, if you win the Powerball, and if you’re the biggest Doncic fan in the world, and also a little (OK, fine, a lot) loony, you could just sign over the check to make him whole.

You won’t. But you could.

Back to Powerball. That $113 million translates to $51.2 million in lump-sum cash value, and it’s gotten to this point because nobody won Monday night’s drawing.

The winning numbers there were 12, 37, 47, 54, 60, and a red Powerball of 17. There were no Match 5 winners.

Lottery Geeks estimates 8.3 million tickets were sold for Monday’s drawing.

How ’bout that Mega Millions number?

The Mega Millions jackpot for Tuesday is … well, would ya look at this: The Mega Millions jackpot for Tuesday is a Luka. As in, $77 million. As in, Luka’s jersey number.

It’s a Luka Lottery Lollapalooza!

Nobody won last Friday’s draw — numbers 9, 28, 48, 56, 63, and a gold Mega Ball of 2 — though a pair of player each took home $2 million.

Those tickets — sold in Delaware and Tennessee — matched all five white balls, and both ticket-buyers paid up for the Megaplier, which came in at 2x.

Lottery Geeks estimates 9.3 million tickets were sold for Friday’s drawing.

Tickets for either lottery cost $2, with most states offering the multiplier option — which impacts any prize won except the jackpot — for an additional $1.

Both Powerball and Mega Millions are legal in all states except Alabama, Alaska, Hawaii, Nevada, and Utah. Tickets for both draw games are also sold in Washington, D.C. and the U.S. Virgin Islands. In Puerto Rico, customers can buy tickets for Powerball, but not for Mega Millions.

All-time biggest jackpots

Here is a list of the all-time top 10 U.S. lottery jackpots:

1. $2.04 billion, Powerball, Nov. 7, 2022, won in California
2. $1.76 billion, Powerball, Oct. 11, 2023, won in California
3. $1.6 billion, Mega Millions, Aug. 8, 2023, won in Florida
4. $1.59 billion, Powerball, Jan. 13, 2016, won in California, Florida, and Tennessee
5. $1.54 billion, Mega Millions, Oct. 23, 2018, won in South Carolina
6. $1.35 billion, Mega Millions, Jan. 13, 2023, won in Maine
7. $1.34 billion, Mega Millions, July 29, 2022, won in Illinois
8. $1.33 billion, Powerball, April 6, 2024, won in Oregon
9. $1.22 billion, Mega Millions, Dec. 27, 2024, won in California
10. $1.13 billion, Mega Millions, March 26, 2024, won in New Jersey

And here’s the all-time top 10 by lump-sum cash value:

1. $997.6 million, Powerball, Nov. 7, 2022, won in California
2. $983.5 million, Powerball, Jan. 13, 2016, won in California, Florida, and Tennessee
3. $877.8 million, Mega Millions, Oct. 23, 2018, won in South Carolina
4. $794.2 million, Mega Millions, Aug. 8, 2023, won in Florida
5. $780.5 million, Mega Millions, July 29, 2022, won in Illinois
6. $776.6 million, Mega Millions, Jan. 22, 2021, won in Michigan
7. $774.1 million, Powerball, Oct. 11, 2023, won in California
8. $723.5 million, Mega Millions, Jan. 13, 2023, won in Maine
9. $621 million, Powerball, April 6, 2024, won in Oregon
10. $571.9 million, Mega Millions, Dec. 27, 2024, won in California