Check out the luckiest states in the lottery
USA TODAY’s Fernando Cervantes takes a look at the states with the most Powerball and Mega Millions jackpots.
After Tuesday, March 10th’s Mega Millions drawing, one lucky person from Illinois hit the jackpot and won $533 million.
The lucky winner can take home the cash value prize of $244.2 million as a one-time cash payment, or receive an immediate payment followed by an annual check that is 5% higher than the previous year.
According to Mega Millions, they are the first people to win the Mega Millions jackpot in 2026. The last jackpot was won on December 2nd in New Jersey. Since then, 28 drawings have been created.
Click here to learn more about winning tickets and the Mega Millions drawing.
What are the winning Mega Millions numbers for March 10, 2026?
Here are the winning numbers for Tuesday’s Mega Millions lottery. 16, 21, 30, 35, 65, and the mega ball 7.
Are there other Mega Millions winners besides the jackpot?
Yes, another person from Illinois won a $5 million Match 5 prize. One person from Maryland also won the Match 5 prize of $4 million.
What is the current Mega Millions jackpot?
Because someone won the jackpot, the prize will be reset to $50 million, with a cash value of $22.9 million, prior to the next drawing.
When is the next Mega Millions drawing?
The next Mega Millions drawing is scheduled for Friday, March 13th at 11:00 PM ET.
Top 10 Mega Millions Jackpots
- August 8, 2023, $1.602 billion in Florida.
- $1.537 billion in South Carolina on October 23, 2018
- January 1, 2023, $1.348 billion in Maine
- July 29, 2022, $1.337 billion in Illinois
- December 27, 2024, $1.269 billion in California
- $1.128 billion in New Jersey on March 26, 2024
- January 22, 2021, $1.05 billion in Michigan
- $983 million in Georgia on November 14, 2025
- $810 million in Texas on September 10, 2024
- March 30, 2012, $656 million in Illinois, Kansas, and Maryland
What is Mega Millions?
Mega Millions is a lottery that is played in 45 states, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Each ticket costs $5 and allows players to choose six numbers from two different number pools: five different numbers from 1 to 70 (white balls) and one number from 1 to 24 (gold mega ball), or choose easy pick/quick pick.
If you match all six winning numbers in the drawing, you win the jackpot. If there are multiple jackpot winners, the jackpot prize will be shared.
How to play Mega Millions
To play Mega Millions, you must purchase a ticket. This can be done at several locations, including local convenience stores, gas stations, and grocery stores. In some states, you can purchase Mega Millions tickets online.
Once you have your ticket, you have to choose six numbers. Five of them are white balls numbered 1-70. The golden mega ball ranges from 1 to 24.
If you’re feeling particularly unlucky or don’t want to go through the hassle of picking, you can request a “quick pick” or “easy pick.” When you use these options, your computer randomly generates numbers.
Mega Millions tickets have built-in multipliers that increase your non-jackpot prize by 2, 3, 4, 5, or 10 times. Previously, players had to pay an extra dollar to add a “Megaplier”.
Julia Gomez is USA TODAY’s trends reporter, covering popular toys, scientific research, natural disasters, holidays, and trending news. Connect with her on LinkedIn ×.
Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Contact us at fernando.cervantes@usatodayco.com and follow us at X @fern_cerv_.
