When is the Next Mega Millions $740 Million Drawing? Know Playing Process & Records

The next Mega Millions drawing is set for Friday night, offering a massive jackpot of $740 million.

This is one of the largest jackpots in Mega Millions history, and if you’re the lucky winner, you could walk away with an estimated $366.3 million in a lump-sum payment after taxes. The anticipation is building, and players across the country are scrambling to buy their tickets for a chance to win big.

With no one matching all six numbers in the previous drawing on Tuesday night, the jackpot has continued to grow, pushing it to over $700 million.

This Friday’s drawing now ranks as the seventh-largest jackpot in Mega Millions history, making it an exciting opportunity for all participants.

How to Play Mega Millions

If you’re ready to take a shot at the $740 million prize, here’s how to play the Mega Millions. To buy a ticket, head to your local convenience store, gas station, or grocery store. In some states, you can even purchase tickets online, but make sure to check the rules in your location.

To participate, you need to choose six numbers. Five of these numbers are drawn from a pool of 1 to 70 white balls. Then, there’s the gold Mega Ball, which is a number between 1 and 25. You can pick your own numbers or opt for a “Quick Pick” or “Easy Pick” if you’d rather let the computer randomly generate your numbers for you.

Additionally, for just $1 more, you can add the “Megaplier” option to your ticket. This can multiply your non-jackpot winnings by 2, 3, 4, or even 5 times.

The Megaplier ball is drawn before the main numbers and consists of 15 balls, including five 2X balls, six 3X balls, three 4X balls, and one 5X ball. Adding the Megaplier could be a game-changer if you don’t hit the jackpot but still win a smaller prize.

Record Mega Millions Jackpots

The Mega Millions game has seen some jaw-dropping jackpots over the years. The largest ever occurred recently on August 8, 2023, when a single winning ticket from Florida claimed a record-breaking $1.602 billion.

If you’re wondering how this week’s $740 million prize compares, it’s definitely up there in the list of all-time biggest jackpots.

Here’s a quick rundown of the top 10 Mega Millions jackpots in history:

Rank	Amount	Date	Location(s)
1	$1.602 billion	August 8, 2023	Florida
2	$1.537 billion	October 23, 2018	South Carolina
3	$1.348 billion	January 13, 2023	Maine
4	$1.337 billion	July 29, 2022	Illinois
5	$1.128 billion	March 26, 2024	New Jersey
6	$1.050 billion	January 22, 2021	Michigan
7	$740 million	September 5, 2024	TBD
8	$656 million	March 30, 2020	Illinois, Kansas, Maryland
9	$648 million	December 17, 2013	California, Georgia
10	$552 million	June 4, 2024	Illinois

These numbers show just how significant Friday’s jackpot is, and it’s easy to see why so many players are eager for their chance to win.

Odds of Winning

Of course, the odds of winning the Mega Millions jackpot aren’t exactly in your favor. The chances of matching all six numbers to claim the grand prize are roughly 1 in 302.6 million. Still, many people play for the thrill and the hope of beating those daunting odds.

Even if you don’t win the jackpot, there are plenty of other ways to win smaller prizes. There are nine different prize tiers, so while you may not hit the big one, you could still walk away with a nice chunk of change.

Smaller winnings can range from just $2 to over a million dollars, especially if you opt for the Megaplier.

So, will you be the next big winner? Only time will tell. But one thing’s for sure: You can’t win if you don’t play.

Friday night’s drawing could change someone’s life forever. Whether you’re picking your lucky numbers or going with a Quick Pick, the opportunity to win hundreds of millions of dollars is out there. All you need is a ticket and a bit of luck.

FAQs

Disclaimer- We are committed to fair and transparent journalism. Our Journalists verify all details before publishing any news. For any issues with our content, please contact us via email.