Powerball jackpot skyrockets to $440 million while Mega Millions reaches $361 million for tonight’s drawing
RELEASE DATE: 1/2/2018
CONCORD, N.H. – Lottery players are starting off the New Year with one goal in mind – winning a combined $801 million in Powerball and Mega Millions jackpots. With no winner from Friday’s Mega Millions game, the grand prize for tonight’s drawing is estimated to reach $361 million – the eighth-largest jackpot in the game’s history. With Saturday’s Powerball drawing also not yielding a winner, Wednesday’s jackpot will become the ninth-largest in Powerball history, reaching $440 million.
“While much of the United States is blanketed in record-breaking cold temperatures, the Powerball and Mega Millions action is really getting heated up. We have more than three-quarters of a billion dollars up for grabs in the next 24 hours, starting with tonight’s Mega Millions drawing,” said Charlie McIntyre, Powerball Product Group Chairman and New Hampshire Lottery Executive Director. “Combined, this would be the second-largest jackpot in history and only the second time Powerball and Mega Millions have simultaneously had jackpots larger than $300 million. Our players across the country have two exciting opportunities to start the New Year as multimillionaires.”
“It’s been almost two years since the world-record $1.6 billion Powerball jackpot was hit in January 2016,” said Gordon Medenica, Mega Millions Lead Director and Maryland Lottery and Gaming Director. “Wouldn’t it be great to see these two games continue to roll and give lottery players another record-breaker for the New Year?”
The Mega Millions jackpot for tonight’s (Jan. 2) drawing is estimated to be $361 million, with a one-time cash payout of $225.9 million. The Powerball jackpot for Wednesday’s drawing (Jan. 3) is expected to be $440 million with a one-time cash payout of $278.3 million. (Estimated jackpot amounts are before taxes.)
The Mega Millions drawing results from Friday, December 29, were: 4-10-18-28-62 MB-7 with a Megaplier of 2.
The Powerball drawing results from Saturday, December 30, were: 28-36-41-51-58 PB-24 with a Power Play of 2.
The current Powerball jackpot has been on the rise since October 25, when a Louisiana player claimed a $191 million jackpot. The current Mega Millions jackpot has been increasing since players in Rhode Island and Michigan split the $42 million jackpot for the October 13 drawing.
The largest Powerball jackpot on record was a $1.586 billion jackpot in January 2016.
The largest Mega Millions jackpot in history was $656 million – three winners from Kansas, Illinois and Maryland shared that record prize in March 2012.
Powerball drawings are held Wednesdays and Saturdays at 10:59 PM ET.
Mega Millions drawings are held Tuesdays and Fridays at 11:00 PM ET.
Editor’s Note: Charlie McIntyre is available for phone and video interviews until 4 PM tomorrow, 1/3. Gordon Medenica is also available for phone and video interviews.
Media contacts:
Maura McCann, NH Lottery, (603) 271-7111, [email protected]
E.J. Powers, NH Lottery, (603) 644-3200 ext. 11, [email protected]
Carole Bober Gentry, Maryland Lottery, (410) 230-8725, [email protected]