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.
The Mega Millions jackpot continues to grow and is currently estimated at $496 million ahead of the March 6 drawing, with a cash option of $232.6 million.
Friday’s drawing came just days after a lucky person in Arkansas took home a $251 million Powerball jackpot. Meanwhile, Mega Millions has been a bit sluggish of late, as no one has won the jackpot since December, when a New Jersey ticket holder won a $90 million jackpot.
Here’s what you need to know about the latest Mega Millions paintings.
What are the winning Mega Millions numbers for March 6, 2026?
Here are the winning numbers for Friday’s Mega Millions lottery. 8, 19, 26, 38 and 42. mega ball is twenty four.
Top 10 Mega Millions Jackpots
- $1.602 billion in Florida on August 8, 2023
- $1.537 billion in South Carolina on October 23, 2018
- $1.348 billion on January 1, 2023 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
- $1.05 billion in Michigan on January 22, 2021
- $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
When is the Mega Millions drawing?
The Mega Millions drawing is held every Tuesday and Friday at 11:00 PM ET. Friday’s drawing will take place a few hours after ticket sales end.
How much do Mega Millions tickets cost?
Mega Millions tickets cost $5 per play. Multipliers are automatically included and applied to non-jackpot prizes.
What are the chances of winning?
The odds of winning the Mega Millions jackpot are 1 in 290,472,336.
How do you play Mega Millions?
Players choose:
- Five numbers from 1 to 70 (white balls) and
- Mega ball number 1-24 1 piece
Players can also choose Quick Pick, where the numbers are randomly generated.
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_.
