The winning numbers in the highly anticipated Mega Millions drawing were revealed on the evening of Tuesday, December 17. The lottery jackpot in play for this drawing had mounted to a staggering $760 million, creating a significant buzz among the gambling community.
The Mega Millions lottery jackpot, recognized as one of the largest in the lottery’s history, had seen an exponential increase in ticket sales leading to the drawing date. The unusually high prize money was a consequence of several prior draws failing to produce a winner, causing the pot to roll over each time.
Each Mega Millions ticket costs $2, and tickets can be purchased in 44 states, plus the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Participants choose five numbers (from 1 to 70) and one Mega Ball number (from 1 to 25), or they can opt for the Quick Pick option for randomly generated numbers.
Winners can choose to receive their winnings as a lump sum or as an annuity paid out over 29 years. The lump sum is a smaller amount because it comprises the actual funds in the jackpot pool at the time of the draw, while the annuity is calculated based on the projected returns on investment of the jackpot pool.
Last modified: December 18, 2024
