Friday’s Mega Millions Jackpot Surges To $1.35 Billion

Written By Alec Cunningham on January 11, 2023
This Friday's Mega Millions jackpot is now a whopping $1.35 billion

This Friday the 13th could be your luckiest day yet. Maryland’s Mega Millions jackpot has risen to $1.35 billion.

And with just one lucky ticket, that sum could be yours.

Mega Millions jackpot at $1.35 billion

Maryland Lottery players aren’t able to purchase Mega Millions tickets online. Instead, players can visit any one of the state’s participating Maryland Lottery retail locations to grab a ticket.

Lottery players nationwide have been waiting with bated breath as the Mega Millions jackpot continues growing week after week. After the full sum went unclaimed during Tuesday’s drawing, the game’s estimated jackpot now sits at $1.35 billion, with a cash option of $707.9 million.

The next Mega Millions drawing takes place this Friday (Jan. 13) at 11 p.m. ET.

Each Mega Millions ticket can be purchased for a base price of $2. A Megaplier can then be purchased for an additional $1, which will multiply any non-jackpot winnings by a factor of anywhere from 2x to 5x.

To participate, players must select five numbers ranging from 1 to 70, along with a final Mega Ball number ranging from 1 to 25. Players can also opt for the Quick Pick feature, which selects numbers at random. These same six numbers can then be played for as many as five consecutive drawings.

Any lucky player that matches all six numbers wins the jackpot.

Easy peasy.

Friday the 13th a lucky day for lottery players

Traditionally, Friday the 13th drawings have been especially lucky for players. The day has granted a total of six jackpot wins throughout the drawing’s history. Four of those winners came from Michigan, while the two others came from New York and Ohio, plus a co-winner in Rhode Island.

The Mega Millions jackpot hasn’t been won since Oct. 14 of last year, when two California and Florida residents split the $502 million prize.

Since then, 25 drawings have taken place, generating nearly 33.3 million winning tickets. Prizes for these winning tickets have ranged from $2 to $3 million, with 68 of those being worth $1 million or more.

Friday’s drawing marks the second-largest Mega Millions jackpot in the game’s history. The largest jackpot came back in October 2018 when a South Carolina player won a record-high $1.537 billion.

Mega Millions monumental for states nationwide

In the latest Mega Millions press release, Ohio Lottery Director Pat McDonald, who also serves as lead director of the Mega Millions Consortium, said:

“The jackpot has rolled again, keeping everyone who follows Mega Millions in suspense for yet another drawing. Now at $1.35 billion, the Mega Millions jackpot is moving up and making history as the second highest Mega Millions jackpot ever. Our member lotteries raise funds for many good causes, ranging from education to conservation programs. We’re proud to support these efforts.”

In a recent WNST interview, Maryland Lottery director John Martin discussed the importance of such games for Maryland specifically.

The state has operated a lottery since 1973. And during that 50-year span, state initiatives have been monumental. In fact, Martin noted, the Maryland Lottery is the fourth-largest contributor to state tax revenue, behind only:

  • Individual tax
  • Sales tax
  • Corporate tax

Out of the more than $2.189 billion in sales, $548.5 million (25%) of that has gone to the state’s general fund. Meanwhile, Baltimore schools have received $20 million in funding, while $156,000 has gone to veteran organizations.

If the next Mega Millions jackpot winner hails from Maryland, the state would receive upwards of $63.3 million in tax revenue.

Photo by Charles Krupa/Associated Press
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Alec Cunningham

As a college athlete, Alec Cunningham played Division II golf at Tusculum University. She graduated in 2015 with a bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Professional Writing. She then returned to her love of written word in 2020 after working in the music industry as a concert promoter, tour manager and artist developer. As a journalist, she's covered a variety of topics and currently specializes in Tennessee online sports betting and Virginia casino news. She served as a panelist at this year's All American Sports Betting Summit, discussing the ever-evolving role of women in the gambling industry.

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