dpUpdated July 24, 2026, 11:26 p.m. ET
The Mega Millions jackpot grew to $743 million ahead of the Friday, July 24, drawing, with a cash value of $323.4 million, making it the 10th-largest prize in the game’s history.
If someone were to get lucky on Friday and win the jackpot, they’ll have two options: take home a one-time, lump-sum cash payment or receive an immediate payment followed by annual checks, each 5% larger than the previous year.
Though no one took home the big prize on Tuesday, two players — one from California and another from Arizona — won $2 million and $3 million, respectively. The last time someone won the Mega Millions jackpot was more than three months ago, when a person from Ohio took home $60 million on St. Patrick’s Day.
What are the winning Mega Millions numbers for 7/24/2026?
The winning numbers for Friday, July 24: 2-5-42-44-60 and the Golden Mega Ball: 1
When is the next Mega Millions drawing?
The next Mega Millions drawing is scheduled for Tuesday, July 28, at 11 p.m. ET.
Top 10 Mega Millions Jackpots
- $1.602 billion on Aug. 8, 2023 in Florida
- $1.537 billion on Oct. 23, 2018 in South Carolina
- $1.348 billion on Jan. 1, 2023 in Maine
- $1.337 billion on July 29, 2022 in Illinois
- $1.269 billion on Dec. 27, 2024 in California
- $1.128 billion on Mar. 26, 2024 in New Jersey
- $1.05 billion on Jan 22, 2021 in Michigan
- $983 million on Nov. 14, 2025 in Georgia
- $810 million on Sept. 10, 2024 in Texas
- $743 million on July 24, 2026 – winner TBD
What is Mega Millions?
Mega Millions is a lottery played in 45 states, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Each ticket costs $5, and players may pick six numbers from two separate pools — five different numbers from 1 to 70 (the white balls) and one number from 1 to 24 (the gold Mega Ball) — or select “Quick Pick“ or an “Easy Pick.“
You win the jackpot by matching all six winning numbers in a drawing. In the event of multiple jackpot winners, the jackpot prize will be shared.
How long do people have to collect a Mega Millions prize?
According to Mega Millions, the time to collect winnings varies state to state. Typically, the time could range from 90 days to one year from the draw date.
Mega Millions officials encourage players to check with their local state lottery for specific claim periods.
How to play the Mega Millions
To play the Mega Millions, you have to buy a ticket. You can do this at several locations, including your local convenience store, gas station, or even grocery store. In some states, Mega Millions tickets can be bought online.
Once you have your ticket, you need to pick six numbers. Five of them will be white balls with numbers from 1 to 70. The gold Mega Ball ranges from 1 to 24.
If you’re feeling especially unlucky or don’t want to go through the hassle of picking, you can ask for a “Quick Pick“ or an ”Easy Pick.” These options let the computer randomly generate numbers for you.
Mega Millions tickets now include a built-in multiplier, which increases non-jackpot prizes by two, three, four, five, or 10 times. Before, players had to pay an extra dollar to add the “Megaplier.”
This story has been updated with new information.
Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach him at [email protected] and follow him on X @fern_cerv_.
