Mega Millions climbs to $900 million as Powerball nears half a billion
TRENTON, NJ – The Mega Millions jackpot surged to $900 million after no player matched all six numbers over the weekend, making Tuesday’s drawing the eighth-largest in the game’s history and continuing its rapid climb toward the $1 billion mark.
The current cash option for the Mega Millions jackpot sits at $415.3 million. This run is the highest since March 2024, when a Monmouth County player claimed a $1.128 billion prize, now ranked sixth all-time. Mega Millions has awarded four jackpots across the U.S. so far this year.
Powerball is also building momentum, reaching $490 million for tonight’s drawing. Last week, three New Jersey players each won $50,000 in secondary Powerball prizes, adding to the state’s growing tally of recent wins.
New Jersey players have also seen success in non-jackpot Mega Millions prizes thanks to a rule change in April allowing random multipliers. Since then, 16 Garden State players have seen their $10,000 wins multiplied — some by up to 4X. In October, an Ocean County player hit a $3 million prize, while a Bergen County player scored $4 million in June. On Nov. 4, a Mercer County winner saw their $10,000 prize double to $20,000.
Several other jackpot games in New Jersey continue to deliver major payouts:
- Pick-6 is now at $2.6 million ahead of tonight’s drawing.
- Jersey Cash 5 reset to $150,000 after two jackpots were hit over the weekend — $664,971 in Union County and $160,000 in Ocean County.
- Cash4Life continues to award lifetime prizes, with one New Jersey player winning the $7 million cash value prize this year and five others claiming $1 million each.
Mega Millions’ top jackpots of all time include:
- $1.602 billion – Florida (Aug. 8, 2023)
- $1.537 billion – South Carolina (Oct. 23, 2018)
- $1.348 billion – Maine (Jan. 13, 2023)
- $1.337 billion – Illinois (July 29, 2022)
- $1.269 billion – California (Dec. 27, 2024)
- $1.128 billion – New Jersey (March 26, 2024)
- $1.050 billion – Michigan (Jan. 22, 2021)
- $900 million – Current jackpot
Since its launch in 1970, the New Jersey Lottery has contributed nearly $34.7 billion to the state, currently funding public employee pensions under a long-term agreement passed in 2017.
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Key Points
- Mega Millions reaches $900 million, the eighth-highest jackpot in its history
- Powerball climbs to $490 million with multiple recent NJ winners
- Jersey Cash 5, Pick-6, and Cash4Life continue to deliver major payouts