Mega Millions Jackpot Hits $910 Million With No Grand Prize Winner

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The Mega Millions lottery jackpot reached an estimated $910 million on July 25 as no one drew a winning ticket.

The numbers drawn were 3, 5, 6, 44, 61 and the gold “Mega Ball” of 25. This was the 28th consecutive drawing without a grand prize winner, according to a Mega Millions statement. The last time someone took home the big jackpot was April 18.

The next drawing is July 28 at 11 pm ET. The cash option for the jackpot is estimated to be $464 million after a hefty tax bill.

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It will be the fifth-largest jackpot in the game’s history but is quickly approaching the fourth-largest amount of $1.05 billion, which was won in January 2021.

To win the jackpot, players must match all six numbers, which currently carry the odds of one in 302.6 million.

Two tickets - one in Texas and the other in Maryland - matched all five white balls to take home the game’s second-tier prize.

The $2 Mega Millions ticket is offered in 45 U.S. states, Washington D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The lottery has been an especially hot topic lately as the Powerball jackpot surpassed $1 billion earlier this month. A single ticket matched all numbers and won $1.08 billion - a cash value of about $558.1 million after taxes - but the prize remained unclaimed as of the morning of July 26.

Mega Millions winners have two options when receiving payments, according to the game's website. They can take the payout in a lump sum, which is the most common choice, or they can opt for an annuity. The annuity would be paid out as one immediate payment followed by 29 annual payments with each one being 5% larger than the previous.

Winners of large sums are also encouraged to hire a team of advisors to help them manage their newfound wealth.

Joey Solitro is a freelance financial journalist at Kiplinger with more than a decade of experience. A longtime equity analyst, Joey has covered a range of industries for media outlets including The Motley Fool, Seeking Alpha, Market Realist, and TipRanks. Joey holds a bachelor's degree in business administration.