Key keywords: Mega Millions, $311 million jackpot, lottery rollover, Mega Millions winning numbers, multi-state lottery, annuity payout option, lump sum lottery payout, Mega Millions drawing, US national lottery, lottery odds The Mega Millions jackpot has climbed to an estimated $311 million for its upcoming Friday drawing after no ticket matched all six winning numbers in the Tuesday, October 17, 2023 drawing held at 11 p.m. ET. The winning numbers for Tuesday’s draw were 12, 24, 46, 57, and 61 for the white balls, with the gold Mega Ball number 7, and the Megaplier multiplier was 3X for players who paid an extra $1 to add the feature to their tickets. While no players won the top grand prize, over 1.7 million tickets won smaller prizes across the country, ranging from $2 for matching just the Mega Ball to $1 million for players who matched all five white balls without the Mega Ball. Four tickets sold in California, New York, Texas, and Ohio matched the five white balls in Tuesday’s draw, earning each ticket holder a $1 million prize, with one of those players adding the Megaplier to take home $3 million total. The $311 million advertised jackpot is the value of the annuity payout option, which is disbursed to winners in 30 graduated annual payments over 29 years, with each payment increasing by 5% annually to account for inflation. Winners who opt for the one-time lump sum payout, which is the choice selected by over 90% of Mega Millions grand prize winners, will take home an estimated pre-tax amount of $149.7 million. After federal income tax withholding of 24%, plus applicable state income taxes depending on the winner’s state of residence, the final take-home amount for the lump sum option ranges from roughly $95 million to $118 million for most winners. Mega Millions is one of the two largest multi-state lottery games in the U.S., played in 45 states, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, with tickets costing $2 per play. The odds of winning the grand prize stand at approximately 1 in 302.6 million, while the odds of winning any prize in the game are roughly 1 in 24. The last Mega Millions grand prize was won on August 15, 2023, by a ticket holder in Florida who took home a $115 million jackpot. Lottery officials note that ticket sales surge significantly when the jackpot crosses the $300 million mark, with thousands of players purchasing tickets for the first time all year in the days leading up to the drawing. Officials also remind players to purchase tickets only from authorized retailers, to sign the back of their tickets immediately after purchase to prevent theft, and to check their tickets carefully after the drawing, as unclaimed prizes are forfeited between 90 days and 1 year after the drawing date depending on state rules.