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.
St. Patrick’s Day brought good luck to a lucky Irish lottery winner in Ohio who won a $60 million Mega Millions jackpot.
Just eight days after someone in Illinois won a $533 million Mega Millions jackpot, another person in Ohio won big on Tuesday, March 17, when he found a pot of money. With a cash value of $27.1 million, this jackpot is the second Mega Millions jackpot won in 2026.
Jackpot winners have two options to choose from. You can receive a one-time lump sum payment in cash, or you can receive an immediate payment followed by an annual check for 5% more than the previous year.
The prize was reset to $50 million because the jackpot was won during Tuesday night’s drawing.
Here’s what you need to know about the St. Patrick’s Day win.
What are the winning Mega Millions numbers for March 17, 2026?
The winning numbers for Tuesday, March 17th’s Mega Millions drawing are: 4, 11, 18, 38, 50, and the mega ball twenty four.
Are there any big Mega Millions winners other than jackpots?
No, no one has won any Mega Millions Match 5 prizes.
When is the next Mega Millions drawing?
The next Mega Millions drawing is scheduled for Friday, March 20th 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 players can 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 ranging from 1 to 70. Gold Mega Balls range 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 ×Instagram, TikTok: @juliamariegz or email jgomez@gannett.com..
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_.
