NEWS

Florida Lottery Mega Millions jackpot jumps to $607 million, ranks in top 10 all time

Lianna Norman
USA TODAY NETWORK - Florida

The Mega Millions jackpot officially hit "top 10" status this week, ringing in at a number that places it as in the 10 largest Mega Millions jackpots of all time.

Check your numbers!

After no one matched all five numbers plus the Mega Ball in the Tuesday, February 27 drawing for $563 million, the grand prize rolled over to $607 million for the drawing on Friday, March 1.

Keep scrolling to see where that places Friday's prize in the top 10 Mega Millions jackpots of all time.

Friday's winning numbers were 15-33-37-55-61 and the Mega Ball was 24. The Megaplier was 4x. Those mean another rollover and a prize that again climbs the all-time ladder.

Mega Millions next jackpot drawing, on Tuesday, will be for $650 million, or a cash option of $308.6 million. That will make it the seventh-largest Mega Millions jackpot ever.

Although no one won the jackpot in Tuesday's drawing, there was one big winner in Florida. A ticket purchased in the Sunshine State matched 5 for a $1 million prize.

In case you're wondering, Tuesday's winning numbers were 6-18-26-27-49 and the Mega Ball was 4. The Megaplier was 3x.

Mega Millions tickets start at $2 apiece. Below are some frequently asked questions about the game and lottery odds. Good luck!

How much is the Mega Millions jackpot for Friday, March 1?

an estimated $607 million with a cash option of $288.2 million

How much was the Mega Millions jackpot for Tuesday, Feb. 27?

an estimated $563 million with a cash option of $266.1 million

How much was the Mega Millions jackpot for Friday, Feb. 23?

an estimated $525 million with a cash option of $247.5 million

How long has Mega Millions rolled over?

Someone won the $395 million Mega Millions jackpot with a cash option of $189 million on Friday, Dec. 8, 2023. The jackpot started at $20 million for the Tuesday, Dec. 12, drawing. Here's a snapshot of how the prize has climbed since then.

How long do you have to cash in a winning Florida Lottery ticket?

Prizes for Florida Lottery must be claimed within 180 days (six months) from the date of the drawing. To claim a single-payment cash option, a winner has within the first 60 days after the applicable draw date to claim it.

What happens to unclaimed lottery winnings in Florida?

According to the Florida Lottery, state law requires 80% of unclaimed prize funds from expired tickets be transferred to the Educational Enhancement Trust Fund. The remaining 20% is returned to the prize pool for future drawings.

What happens to unclaimed Mega Millions money?

Should a Mega Millions ticket not be claimed within 180 days of the drawing date, "the funds to pay the unclaimed jackpot will be returned to the lottery members in their proportion of sales for the jackpot rollover series."

Why is Mega Millions so hard to win?

Because the odds of you winning are pretty low.

According to the Mega Millions website, you have a 1 in 302,575,350 chance to match all five white balls plus the gold Mega Ball. Prizes range from $2 (for matching the Mega Ball) to the grand prize jackpot, which varies.

Does The Florida Lottery reveal lottery winners?

According to Florida Lottery's website, winners cannot remain anonymous: "Florida law mandates that the Florida Lottery provide records containing information such as the winner's name, city of residence; game won, date won, and amount won to any third party who requests the information."

However, the site states, since May 25, 2022, the "names of lottery winners claiming prizes of $250,000 or greater will be temporarily exempt from public disclosure for 90 days from the date the prize is claimed, unless otherwise waived by the winner."

Lottery experts and lawyers have said there are ways to remain anonymous if you win.

When did lottery jackpots hit $1 billion or more?

As of March 1, 2024, there have been nine lottery jackpots that have reached or surpassed $1 billion. Only once has a jackpot surpassed $2 billion.

What are the Top 10 largest Mega Millions jackpots ever?

According to its website, here are the Top 10 Mega Millions jackpots as of March 1, 2024:

  • 10. $543 million — July 24, 2018; California
  • 9. $607 million — No winner yet
  • 8. $648 million — Dec. 17, 2013; California and Georgia
  • 7. $656 million — March 30, 2012; Illinois, Kansas and Maryland
  • 6. $1.05 billion — Jan. 22, 2021; Michigan
  • 5. $1.08 billion — July 19, 2023; California
  • 4. $1.337 billion — July 29, 2022; Illinois
  • 3. $1.35 billion — Jan. 13, 2023; Maine
  • 2. $1.537 billion — Oct. 23, 2018; South Carolina
  • 1. $1.58 billion — Aug. 8, 2023; Florida

What are the Top 10 largest lottery jackpots ever?

The following Mega Millions and Powerball jackpots made the Top 10 biggest lottery jackpots in U.S. history, as of March 1, 2024.

Contributing: Olivia Munson, USA TODAY

Sangalang is a lead digital producer for USA TODAY Network-Florida. Follow her on Twitter or Instagram at @byjensangalang. Support local journalism. Consider subscribing to a Florida newspaper.