Mega Millions Jackpot, At $825 Million, Is Too Big For Santa

I suppose the big question is this: Can Santa Claus actually fit down your chimney with $825 million (or $382.2 million if he prefers his winnings in one lump sum) stuffed in his sack?

Well, assuming the money is in hundred dollar bills, we’re talking about 8.25 million Benjamins, which would weigh approximately nine tons, so we’re going to go ahead and say no, nope, not at all. No chance he can fit down the chimney with that haul.

Thankfully for us, the chances of winning Friday’s Mega Millions is (albeit only slightly) more likely than Santa shimmying down your chimney, and generally speaking direct deposit or one of those big ol’ checks should be able to carry the weight should you win the $825 million jackpot.

Because, yeah: That’s the estimated jackpot for Friday’s drawing. It’s a lot of money.

And if someone does take it home Friday night, it will be both the largest Mega Millions jackpot ever won in December, and the seventh-largest ever won, period.

Obviously, nobody won Tuesday’s drawing with the curious numbers of 56, 66, 67, 68, and 69 and the gold Mega Ball of 18. An admittedly non-exhaustive search was conducted via both AI and Google, and it (again, non-exhaustive search) would seem to indicate this was the first time four consecutive numbers have been drawn in Mega Millions.

But it was lucky for five people who matched all five white balls. Four of the tickets — sold in Louisiana, Oklahoma, and a pair in California — were worth a million dollars each, and the fifth, sold in North Carolina, had the Megaplier attached to it. That came in at 4x, for a $4 million haul.

Lottery Geeks estimates nearly 38.5 million tickets were sold for Tuesday’s drawing. 

Friday’s drawing will be the 29th since the last Mega Millions mega-millionaire was minted, back on Sept. 10 when a Texas ticket-holder won $810 million.

Don’t forget about Powerball

Meanwhile in Powerball land, nobody won Wednesday’s drawing, pushing Saturday’s jackpot to a not-too-shabby estimated $88 million (with a $41 million cash value).

Wednesday’s winning numbers — 6, 15, 18, 33, and 49 with a red Powerball of 7 — did yield one Match 5 millionaire, with the winning ticket being sold in California.

Lottery Geeks estimates 9.9 million tickets were sold for Wednesday’s draw.

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. $1.13 billion, Mega Millions, March 26, 2024, won in New Jersey
10. $1.08 billion, Powerball, July 19, 2023, won in California

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. $558.1 million, Powerball, July 19, 2023, won in California