The two largest multi-state lottery games in the United States cost about half a million dollars each, which is a rarity. It is only the third time in history that Mega Millions and Powerball games are above the $ 400 million mark at the same time, and the first time since 2018.
The Mega Millions jackpot 8/1/21 on Friday is worth $ 510 million, with a cash option worth $ 377.4 million. The Powerball 1/9/21 jackpot on Saturday has an estimated value of $ 470 million, with a cash option worth $ 362.7 million.
The total sum of the two jackpots is $ 980 million, with cash options totaling $ 740.1 million. This is not bad money – for anyone.
Here is a look at some crazy numbers of how much money this represents. If you stack $ 100 bills on top of each other until you reach the top of the One World Trade Center in New York City, that would be $ 500 million, according to the Powerball website. Friday Night’s Mega Millions jackpot would overcome that alone, and the Powerball jackpot would come close.
How about if the $ 980 million was won collectively by the luckiest person in the world? Well, a stack of $ 100 bills would be able to reach the top of the Willis Tower (formerly known as the Sears Tower), if two of these towers were stacked on top of each other.
This is a lot of money.
The jackpots of Mega Millions and Powerball are bigger than any of your winnings in calendar year 2020. Before we show you the summary rules for each game, let’s show you the crazy chances of winning any of the big lottery games.
You have a better chance of being struck by lightning 250 times before winning any jackpot, according to the National Weather Service. You are 30,000 times more likely to injure yourself in the bathroom (according to the CDC) and 80 times more likely to die in a shark attack (Florida Shark Museum).
But someone will win, right?
Photo credit must be ERIC BARADAT / AFP via Getty Images
The last winner of the Mega Millions grand prize was a ticket sold in Wisconsin on 9/15/20 for a $ 119 million prize. It was only the fifth Mega Millions jackpot won in the calendar year 2020.
Here are the five Mega Millions jackpots won in 2020:
- $ 119 million – September 15 in Wisconsin
- $ 22 million – July 31 in California
- $ 124 million – July 24 in New Jersey
- $ 410 million – June 9 in Arizona
- $ 202 million – February 11 in New Jersey
The last Powerball winning ticket was sold on August 12, 2020 for a $ 169 million jackpot. This ticket was sold in Florida.
There were only five Powerball grand prize winners in 2020, and here they are:
- $ 169 million – August 12 in Florida
- $ 22 million – June 10 in Wisconsin
- $ 190 million – April 8 in New Jersey
- $ 70 million – February 12 in Michigan
- $ 394 million – January in Florida
Normally, each game would be reset to a minimum of $ 40 million, but the COVID-19 pandemic forced Powerball officials to cut the minimum jackpot in half, which started with the 4/11/20 jackpots.
Mega Millions is a multi-state lottery every Tuesday and Friday night and is one of America’s two biggest lottery games. Mega Millions jackpots start at $ 20 million, and other prizes range from $ 1 million to $ 2 million or more with a Megaplier. Tickets cost $ 2 per line and the chances of winning with a $ 2 ticket from Mega Millions are one in 303 million. For more information about Mega Millions or to check its previous numbers, visit its website.
Powerball is the other multi-state lottery and also starts at $ 20 million. Their draws take place shortly after 11:00 pm Eastern Time, on Wednesday and Saturday nights. Here is the Powerball website for more information or to check previous winning numbers.
There are nine ways to earn money during Powerball. Just getting the strength ball without other numbers pays $ 4, and even more so if the strength game is bought for an extra dollar. The same payout goes for one ball plus the strong ball, and $ 7 is the payout for two correct numbers with the strong ball, or three correct numbers and no strong ball.
If all five numbered white balls are chosen, but the red powerball is not correct, then the payout is $ 1 million, with an even higher payout if the powerful game is chosen.
Just a month ago, on December 8, 2020, the combined jackpots had just reached over $ 500 million combined. Now, everyone is above or near that mark.