Mega Millions jackpot soars to $980M as Powerball climbs past $500M
TRENTON, NJ — Dreams of billion-dollar riches are alive again as the Mega Millions jackpot surged to $980 million heading into Friday night’s drawing — marking the eighth-largest prize in the game’s history and drawing feverish ticket sales across New Jersey and beyond.
The eye-popping jackpot comes with a lump-sum cash option of $452.2 million before taxes. With no winner in Tuesday’s draw, players now have another shot at one of the biggest prizes ever offered by the multi-state lottery.
New Jersey has a strong recent track record with Mega Millions jackpots. In March, a Monmouth County player won a staggering $1.128 billion, now the sixth-largest in game history. That win followed another record-setter in December when a California player hit for $1.269 billion. If Friday’s jackpot is hit, it would enter the all-time top 10 list for Mega Millions, trailing the $1.602 billion record set in Florida on August 8, 2023.
But the Mega Millions isn’t the only game raising eyebrows.
Powerball, the other major multi-state lottery, has its own growing prize pool. With no jackpot winner in Wednesday night’s drawing, the prize has rolled over to $546 million for Saturday night — one of the top jackpots currently in play nationwide.
And New Jersey players haven’t needed to hit the top prize to cash in.
A Bergen County player turned a $1 million win into $4 million in June after hitting a 4X multiplier. In October, another player in Ocean County hit $3 million after a lucky 3X multiplier came into play — a new feature added to the game in April. These multipliers apply to non-jackpot prizes when a ticket includes the Megaplier option.
Beyond the national games, local jackpots in New Jersey are climbing steadily. Saturday’s Pick-6 drawing is worth $2.8 million, while Jersey Cash 5, a daily draw game, sits at $474,000. Over the weekend, two players split separate jackpots — one in Union County for $664,971 and another in Ocean County for $160,000.
Cash4Life, another game offered in New Jersey, continues to produce life-changing wins. The game promises either $1,000 a day or $1,000 a week for life, with lump-sum options of $7 million and $1 million respectively. This year alone, six New Jersey players have hit top prizes — one claiming the $7 million lump-sum payout, and five others scoring $1 million each.
The New Jersey Lottery, launched in 1970, has contributed more than $34.6 billion to state-funded programs. Since 2017, lottery revenue has helped support the public employee pension system under a 30-year agreement.
With jackpots nearing historic levels, lottery retailers across the state are reporting long lines and brisk sales, as players hope to become the next name added to New Jersey’s growing list of lottery millionaires.
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Key Points
- Mega Millions jackpot rises to $980 million, eighth-largest in game history
- Powerball jackpot hits $546 million for Saturday night’s drawing
- New Jersey players have recently won multi-million dollar non-jackpot prizes