Friday the 13th is usually the day people hide under their covers or avoid walking under ladders, but for lottery fans, it’s just another excuse to chase a giant pile of cash.
The Mega Millions for June 13th drawing was a bit of a heartbreaker for anyone hoping to retire on a private island immediately. Nobody hit the big one. Honestly, that’s just how the math works most of the time. The jackpot was sitting at a cool $264 million, with a cash option that would have put about $118.9 million in your pocket before the taxman came knocking.
If you’re staring at your ticket right now, here are the numbers that fell out of the machine: 8, 10, 22, 40, 47, and the Mega Ball was 1. ## Why Nobody Won the Jackpot
It’s easy to feel like the game is rigged when the jackpot rolls over again and again, but the reality is just boring old probability. You have a 1 in 302,575,350 chance of matching all six numbers. To put that in perspective, you’re way more likely to be struck by lightning while being bitten by a shark.
Wait, actually, I should be precise here.
Recent changes in the game structure have slightly tweaked the odds. While the jackpot didn't go, there were still over 272,000 winning tickets sold across the country for smaller prizes. In Ohio, one lucky player managed to snag $40,000. Not exactly "quit your job" money, but it’s definitely "really nice vacation" money.
The Secondary Prize Breakdown
Most people think it’s jackpot or nothing. That's a mistake. Even if you missed the Mega Ball, matching those five white balls is worth $1 million. On June 13th, however, the "Match 5" category remained empty. It was a weirdly quiet night for the big tiers.
- Match 4 + Mega Ball: 10 people won $10,000 each.
- Match 4: 166 tickets were worth $500.
- Match 3 + Mega Ball: 475 winners took home $200.
The Megaplier for the night was 4X. If you were one of those $10,000 winners and you spent the extra dollar for the Megaplier, you’d be looking at $40,000 instead. That’s why you see that specific prize amount popping up in places like Ohio.
The Superstition Factor
Since it was Friday the 13th, everyone was looking for patterns. Does the number 13 show up more? Not really. In fact, the number 13 wasn't even in the winning set this time.
Lottery officials like Joshua Johnston have noted in the past that "big jackpots" drive sales, regardless of the date. But there is a psychological pull to Friday the 13th. People buy more tickets because they either feel "lucky" or they want to defy the "unlucky" reputation of the day.
Basically, the more people play, the higher the jackpot climbs for the next round. Because no one hit the jackpot on the 13th, it jumped to $280 million for the following Tuesday.
Common Misconceptions About Winning
I see this a lot on social media. People think that if they play the same numbers every week, they are "due" for a win.
That's not how random number generators work. Every single drawing is a clean slate. The balls don't remember that 8 and 10 showed up on June 13th. They could easily show up again next week, though the odds of the exact same sequence repeating are astronomical.
Another thing people get wrong? The "Quick Pick" vs. manual choice debate. About 70% to 80% of winners use Quick Pick, but that’s only because about 70% to 80% of players use it. There’s no statistical advantage to picking your own "lucky" numbers, unless it makes you feel better to lose with your birthday instead of a random string of digits.
What Happens if You Actually Win?
If you had been the one to beat the odds on June 13th, your life would have changed in a very messy way within about an hour.
First, the tax situation. The federal government takes a mandatory 24% withholding right off the top, but you’d likely owe the full 37% top marginal rate by the time you filed your return. Then there are state taxes. If you bought that ticket in New York, you're paying a lot more than if you bought it in Florida or Texas, where there's no state income tax on lottery winnings.
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Real Expert Advice for Winners
- Sign the back of the ticket immediately. It’s a "bearer instrument." If you lose it and haven't signed it, whoever finds it can technically claim it.
- Go dark. Delete your social media. Don’t tell your cousin’s roommate.
- Hire a "Wealth Team." You need a tax attorney, a CPA, and a fee-only financial advisor.
- Decide on the Lump Sum vs. Annuity. Most people take the cash, but if you struggle with spending, the 30-year annuity is basically a "poverty insurance" policy.
Next Steps for Players
Since the Mega Millions for June 13th resulted in a rollover, the momentum is building. If you're planning to play the next round, check your old tickets first. Millions of dollars in smaller prizes go unclaimed every year because people only check the jackpot.
You can check your numbers on the official Mega Millions website or through your state's lottery app. If you did win a smaller prize, like $10 or $200, you can usually claim those at any authorized retailer. For the bigger stuff, you'll need to head to a regional lottery office with a valid ID and a very calm demeanor.
Double-check your tickets for the Megaplier. It’s that tiny number on the bottom that can turn a small win into a significant one. Even if you didn't become a multi-millionaire this time, that $40 or $200 prize is still a win in a game where the house usually has all the cards.