You’ve probably heard the buzz at the gas station or seen the neon sign flickering behind the cashier's head. Everyone wants to know the same thing. How much is the mega million jackpot tonight?
As of Sunday, January 18, 2026, the estimated jackpot for the next drawing stands at a cool $250 million. If you aren't feeling the thirty-year wait for an annuity, the cash option is currently sitting at roughly $113.5 million.
That’s a lot of money. Honestly, it’s enough to change your life, your kids' lives, and probably your neighbor’s life too if you’re feeling generous. But before you go out and spend your last five dollars on a dream, there are a few things about this specific jackpot—and the game’s new rules—that you definitely need to know.
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The Reality of the $250 Million Jackpot
The last drawing happened on Friday, January 16. The winning numbers were 2, 22, 33, 42, 67, and the Mega Ball was 1.
Nobody hit the big one.
Because of that "roll," the prize jumped from $230 million to the current $250 million mark. It’s a steady climb. We haven't seen one of those billion-dollar frenzies yet this year, but $250 million is nothing to sneeze at.
Interestingly, while no one took home the grand prize on Friday, a ticket sold in Wichita Falls, Texas, matched all five white balls but missed the Mega Ball. That person is waking up $2 million richer today. It’s a reminder that even if you don't hit the "main" number, the secondary prizes in the modern Mega Millions era are actually quite massive.
Why the Price Changed to $5
You might have noticed that a single ticket costs $5 now.
This change, which kicked in back in April 2025, caught a lot of regular players off guard. Why the hike? The lottery officials basically wanted to make the jackpots grow faster and start higher. Under these new rules, the starting jackpot is $50 million.
The math is simple: higher ticket prices mean more money in the pool. It also means the odds of winning any prize have slightly improved to 1 in 23.07, even if the odds of hitting the jackpot remain a staggering 1 in 290,472,336.
How Much Is The Mega Million Jackpot Tonight After Taxes?
Let's get real for a second. If you win $250 million, you aren't actually keeping $250 million.
The IRS is the first person in line at the payout window. They take a mandatory 24% federal withholding right off the top. If you take the cash option of $113.5 million, you're looking at about $27.2 million going straight to the federal government before you even see a dime.
Then there are state taxes.
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If you live in a place like California or Florida, you're in luck because they don't tax lottery winnings at the state level. But if you’re in New York or New Jersey? Expect another chunk—sometimes up to 10%—to vanish. Basically, your "take-home" on the cash option in a high-tax state might be closer to $70 million or $75 million.
It’s still a fortune. You can still buy the boat. Just maybe not the super yacht.
Choosing Between Cash and Annuity
Most people take the cash. It’s the "bird in the hand" philosophy. You get the $113.5 million (minus taxes) right now. You can invest it, spend it, or hide it under a very large mattress.
The annuity is different. It’s 30 payments over 29 years. The cool part is that each payment is 5% larger than the last. This is designed to protect your purchasing power against inflation. If you’re worried about blowing all your money in the first three years, the annuity is sort of like a government-mandated allowance that keeps you rich until you're old.
Surprising Details About the Current Draw
There’s a lot of misinformation floating around about "hot" and "cold" numbers.
Some people swear by 22 or 11. Others avoid the number 1 like the plague. Truthfully? Every drawing is a reset. The balls don't have a memory. They don't know they were picked last Friday.
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However, since the rule changes in 2025, we’ve seen a statistical shift in how often certain tiers are hit. The "Megaplier" option is also more significant now. For an extra buck, you can multiply your non-jackpot winnings by up to 10 times. On Friday, the multiplier was 2X.
Where the Money Goes
Ever wonder where your $5 goes when you lose? It doesn't just disappear into a void.
A huge portion of Mega Millions revenue stays in the state where the ticket was bought. In Ohio, for example, lottery profits are directed toward the Lottery_Profit_Education_Fund. In other states, it goes to senior citizen programs or environmental conservation.
So, in a weird way, even when you lose, you’re kind of paying a voluntary tax that helps build a school or fix a park. It makes the "L" a little easier to swallow.
Actionable Steps for Tonight’s Players
If you're planning to jump in on the $250 million draw, don't just wing it.
- Check the cut-off time. Most states stop selling tickets at 10:00 PM ET on drawing nights (Tuesdays and Fridays). If you show up at 10:05 PM, you’re buying for the next week.
- Sign the back of your ticket. Seriously. A lottery ticket is a "bearer instrument." If you drop it in the parking lot and I find it, and it isn't signed, it's technically mine.
- Use the app. Most state lotteries (like the Florida or Texas Lottery) have apps that let you scan your ticket to see if you won. It beats squinting at the TV or trying to find a newspaper.
- Group play? Get it in writing. If you're doing an office pool, make a quick photocopy of the tickets and have everyone sign a piece of paper. Lottery lawyers are expensive; a 10-cent photocopy is cheap.
The next drawing is Tuesday, January 20, 2026, at 11:00 PM ET. Whether you're playing your "lucky" birthdates or letting the computer pick for you, the odds are long, but the potential is massive. Just remember to play for fun, not as a retirement plan.
The jackpot is high, the stakes are higher, and someone, eventually, is going to match all six. It might as well be you, but it probably won't be. That’s just the way the balls roll.
To stay safe, always verify your numbers through the official Mega Millions website or your local state lottery's verified portal. Scams are on the rise in 2026, often involving fake texts claiming you've won a "secondary prize." Never give out your bank details over the phone to someone claiming to be from the lottery.