The winning numbers for the estimated $862 million Mega Millions jackpot, which is one of the largest in the lottery's history, have been revealed. The announced numbers were 15, 47, 23, 48, and 36, with a Mega Ball of 23. The MegaPlier number was 2, which means any prize won (except the jackpot) would be multiplied by this number if the player had chosen the MegaPlier option when purchasing their ticket.
The jackpot has been growing since February when a group of players in Michigan won a $1 billion prize. If any player wins the current jackpot, it would be the third-largest prize in the history of Mega Millions. The highest jackpot ever won in Mega Millions was a whopping $1.537 billion prize back in 2018, which remains the world's largest lottery prize ever awarded on a single ticket.
The odds of winning the Mega Millions jackpot are extremely slim, approximately 1 in 302.5 million. However, this doesn't deter hopeful players from buying tickets and dreaming about what they would do if they won the jackpot. The draw takes place every Tuesday and Friday, and tickets can be bought until 15 minutes before the draw.
In addition to the Mega Millions, the Powerball jackpot has also soared to an estimated $635 million, with the draw to take place on Wednesday. The odds of winning the Powerball jackpot are slightly better, standing at about 1 in 292.2 million. Both lotteries have seen a surge in ticket sales, contributing to the rapid growth of the jackpots.
Players are reminded to play responsibly, and only with money they can afford to lose. Despite the low odds of winning, the dream of becoming an instant millionaire keeps people playing. As the saying goes, "You can't win if you don't play."