Mega Millions Hits $438M, Remains Unclaimed as Tuesday Drawing Looms

The seven-figure prize pool for the Mega Millions continues to climb steadily after the Friday drawing came up empty with no big winner in sight

Mega Millions enthusiasts will have another few days of tantalizing anticipation as the big jackpot failed to drop on Friday, February 20, and is on track to hit over $438 million for the upcoming draw.

Mega Millions Jackpot Climbs to $438M – Ready to Be Won

The next chance for ticket holders to score the win of their lives is on Tuesday at 11 pm when the results will be announced during a live broadcast, possibly making one person all that richer.

The $438 million could be claimed either as an annuity, whereby the state would divide the money and pay it out over the next decades, or handed over as a lump sum of about $203.1 million in cash. 

The mode of obtaining the jackpot lies solely with the winner or winners. To win the jackpot, though, players would first need to buy a $5 ticket, which can be purchased until a very generous cut-off period – 10:45 pm on the night of the draw.

To succeed, any participant needs to match the five White Balls as well as the Special Mega Ball. 

Matching just the White Balls could still bring you a solid payout, ranging from $2 million to $10 million, and the game similarly has lots and lots of prizes below the $1-million mark, offering plenty to go on. 

Far from the Largest Jackpot Recorded – Yet

The Mega Millions jackpot has been climbing steadily for a while now, building anticipation and excitement. While the current prize pool is nothing to sneeze at, it is far from the largest ever jackpot offered by the game.

The biggest prize purse was won on August 8, 2023, by a ticket holder in Florida, who scooped the eye-watering $1.6 billion, opting for the $794 million cash option.