NewsThe Mega Millions lottery jackpot has reached an estimated $352 million for the December 23 drawing.
• Mega Millions is played in 45 states and is coordinated by state lotteries. Players choose 5 numbers between 1 and 70 and 1 Mega Ball number between 1 and 25. Jackpots start at $20 million and grow based on ticket sales and rollovers.
• No one matched all six numbers in the December 21 drawing, causing the jackpot to rise. Overall, nearly 17 million tickets won prizes in that drawing, but none matched all the winning numbers: 13, 36, 45, 57, 67 and 14.
• The cash value option for this estimated $352 million jackpot, paid out over 29 years, is $201.4 million.
• Illinois residents spent over $1 billion on lottery tickets in the 2021 fiscal year, generating $656 million for the state education fund. That funded college scholarships, grant programs, the AIM HIGH after school programs and special education grants.
• The Illinois Lottery supports nearly 40,000 jobs in the state and contributes around 3% of the state’s annual education budget.
• The odds of winning the Mega Millions jackpot are 1 in 302,575,350, though smaller prizes are more common. Players are urged to play responsibly.
• The next Mega Millions drawing will be held on Friday, December 23 at 10 p.m. CT. Tickets must be purchased before 9:45 p.m. CT that day.
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