The Mega Millions jackpot continues to climb after no ticket matched all six numbers in Friday night’s drawing for the $285 million jackpot. With no winner on Friday, the top prize has now rolled to $311 million for the next drawing on Tuesday night.
Winning Numbers for January 26 Drawing
The winning numbers for the January 26, 2024 Mega Millions drawing were:
| White balls: | 3 | 12 | 23 | 27 | 57 |
| Mega ball: | 13 |
No ticket matched all six numbers to win the $285 million jackpot. However, two tickets – one sold in New York and one in North Carolina – matched the five white balls to win $1 million each.
In total, over 1.1 million tickets won prizes ranging from $2 to $1 million in the January 26 drawing. But with no jackpot winner, the top prize has now grown to an estimated $311 million annuity value (or $158.2 million cash) for the next drawing on January 30.
Lottery Fever Grips the Nation
As the Mega Millions jackpot continues growing, lottery fever is gripping the nation. Long lines were reported at lottery vendors across the U.S. leading up to Friday’s drawing.
In New Jersey, a Bergen County liquor store that sold a $1 million Mega Millions ticket last July saw a rush of buyers hoping to grab the golden ticket on Friday. “The jackpot is high so people want to try their luck,” a store manager said.
There has been increased interest this week across North Carolina as well. “When the jackpot starts getting high, everyone starts coming in to test their luck,” said the owner of a tobacco outlet in Little River that sold a $20,000 winning Mega Millions ticket last week.
With no winner on Friday night, the cycle will likely continue leading up to the next drawing. “The number of people who play Mega Millions really ramps up as the jackpots get higher and higher,” said a Mega Millions official.
Near Misses Around the Country
While no ticket won the full jackpot on Friday night, there were some notable near misses:
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In Emerson, New Jersey, one lucky player matched the five white balls to win the $1 million second prize. “We are thrilled that a million-dollar winning ticket was sold at our store,” said the manager of the liquor store where it was sold.
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In Elmsford, New York, a $1 million ticket was also sold for matching the five white balls. “This is great news for one of our customers and great news for the state,” said the director of the New York Lottery Gaming Commission.
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One ticket sold in Pennsylvania matched four white balls plus the Mega ball for a $10,000 win. Lottery officials have not yet announced where it was sold.
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A $20,000 winning ticket matching four white balls was sold in Little River, South Carolina for the January 23 drawing earlier in the week.
These wins show how even matching some of the numbers can earn big prizes. But the jackpot eluded everyone on Friday night.
$311 Million Jackpot Up for Grabs Tuesday Night
With the jackpot continuing to rise, it now stands at an estimated $311 million annuity ($158.2 million cash) for the next drawing on Tuesday night, January 30.
Lottery officials expect brisk ticket sales as the country dreams of what they could do with the ninth largest Mega Millions jackpot ever. Long lines are again likely at convenience stores, gas stations, and anywhere else the lottery is sold.
If there is again no jackpot winner on Tuesday, the Mega Millions top prize will likely crack the top five largest jackpots ever for the Friday, February 2 drawing. The record stands at $1.537 billion, so it has a long way to climb. But lottery fever tends to grow exponentially with each rollover.
Ultimately, it only takes one set of lucky numbers to win it all. Tickets cost $2 each, with a 1 in 302 million chance of hitting the full jackpot. Those may seem like long odds, but for giant prizes like this, many say you can’t win if you don’t play.
Table of Notable Winners in Recent Drawings
| Date | Notable Winners | Prize Won | Winning Ticket Sold At |
| Jan 30 | 2 tickets matching 5 white balls | $1 million | Elmsford, NY; Emerson, NJ |
| Jan 26 | 1 ticket matching 4 white balls + Mega Ball | $10,000 | Undisclosed location in Pennsylvania |
| Jan 23 | 1 ticket matching 4 white balls | $20,000 | Little River, SC |
The next drawing on Tuesday, January 30 has an estimated jackpot of $311 million up for grabs. Lottery fever will likely hit a new peak leading up to the drawing. Could you be the next Mega Millions winner? Grab your tickets and try your luck!
To err is human, but AI does it too. Whilst factual data is used in the production of these articles, the content is written entirely by AI. Double check any facts you intend to rely on with another source.
