Mega Millions jackpot jumps to $445 million!

RELEASE DATE: 1/4/2018

The excitement is building! Strong sales have once again pushed the Mega Millions jackpot higher than originally estimated. The estimated jackpot for Friday, January 5, is now a whopping $445 million ($277.6 million cash). If won, that amount would be the fourth largest jackpot in the history of the game.

In the 15 year history of Mega Millions, the first days of a new year have been lucky ones. Several jackpots have been won in the first half of January, including some of the game’s largest, like the seventh biggest prize ever awarded, $380 million on January 4, 2011; winners in Idaho and Washington shared that jackpot. January 8, 2016, was lucky for a New York winner who claimed a $169 million prize; and a $125 million jackpot was won in Texas on January 9, 2007.

The jackpot has been rolling since it was last won at $42 million on October 13; that prize was shared by winners in Michigan and Rhode Island. Earlier 2017 jackpots were won in New York ($105 million on September 22), Illinois ($393 million on August 11), Arkansas ($177 million on March 31) and California ($191 million on January 27 and $61 million on April 28).

The top Mega Millions jackpots to date are:

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