(NEXSTAR) — The ninth-largest Mega Millions jackpot on record is up for grabs Tuesday night, undoubtedly prompting many players to consider how they might improve their chances of winning. Fortunately, game officials have already made the odds slightly better for players—albeit only marginally.
The Mega Millions jackpot, which has been rolling since June, grew again over the weekend and now sits at an estimated $714 million, with a cash value of $334.1 million. Unless it increases by about $100 million ahead of Tuesday’s drawing, this current jackpot comfortably ranks as the ninth-largest Mega Millions jackpot on record.
Largest Mega Millions Jackpots on Record
- $1.602 billion: Aug. 8, 2023; Florida
- $1.537 billion: Oct. 23, 2018; South Carolina
- $1.348 billion: Jan. 13, 2023; Maine
- $1.337 billion: July 29, 2022; Illinois
- $1.269 billion: Dec. 27, 2024; California
- $1.128 billion: March 26, 2024; New Jersey
- $1.050 billion: Jan. 22, 2021; Michigan
- $810 million: Sept. 10, 2024; Texas
- Est. $714 million: Current
- $656 million: Mar. 30, 2012; Illinois, Kansas, and Maryland
This prize also stands as the 19th largest jackpot across both Powerball and Mega Millions games, trailing by about $40 million behind a $754.6 million Powerball jackpot won in Washington two years ago.
What Are Your Chances?
Your odds of winning the Mega Millions jackpot on Tuesday depend on two main factors: whether you buy a ticket, and if you match all six numbers drawn. While winning isn’t impossible, the odds are certainly stacked against you.
Luckily, your odds are slightly better than they were at the start of the year. Earlier in 2024, the Mega Millions game underwent an overhaul that changed how you play and increased the ticket price from $2 to $5. This update improved your odds of winning.
- Before the update: 1 in 24 chance of winning any prize; 1 in 302.58 million for the jackpot.
- After the update: 1 in 23 chance of winning any prize; 1 in 290.47 million for the jackpot.
Strategies Players Use
Lottery enthusiasts have employed numerous methods in hopes of boosting their chances. Some focus on “hot” and “cold” numbers or use specific number combinations, though math experts warn that neither strategy guarantees a win. Others try systems like the Delta Lotto System, which mathematically reduces the number of digits to pick from, though this method doesn’t factor in probability.
Some even turn to artificial intelligence for advice—like a Michigan woman who recently used AI-generated strategies to win $100,000.
However you choose to pick your numbers for Tuesday’s drawing, your odds remain the same as the player behind you in line. The only guaranteed way to improve your chances is by buying more tickets.
How Many Tickets Would Guarantee a Win?
Buying 100 tickets, for example, improves your odds to about 1 in 2.90 million instead of 1 in 290.47 million, according to Andrew Perry, a professor at Springfield College who spoke with Nexstar’s WWLP.
To absolutely guarantee a Mega Millions jackpot win, you would need to purchase every possible number combination — totaling exactly 290,472,336 tickets.
At the current ticket price of $5 each, buying every permutation would cost more than $1.45 billion. This amount is more than double the estimated $714 million jackpot and far exceeds the cash value of $334.1 million.
Even the largest Mega Millions jackpot ever won would barely cover the cost of purchasing every combination, especially after taxes.
Words of Caution
“However you play, there’s a high probability of losing all your money. I would advise people not to risk money that they can’t afford to lose,” Perry warns.
Still, more than 200 Mega Millions jackpots have been won by players who clearly did not buy every possible number combination.
Upcoming Drawings
The next Mega Millions drawing is scheduled for 11 p.m. ET on Tuesday, followed by another drawing on Friday at the same time. Tickets are sold for $5 each and are available in 45 states, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
