So, nobody hit it again.
The Tuesday night drawing for January 13, 2026, came and went, and while a few folks are waking up significantly richer, the big one is still sitting there. Waiting.
Because no one matched all six numbers—those were 16, 40, 56, 64, 66 and the gold Mega Ball 4—the pot just got a healthy bump. We are looking at a Mega Millions jackpot increase that brings the current estimate to $230 million for the upcoming drawing on Friday, January 16.
If you’re the type to grab the cash and run, that lump sum is sitting at roughly $105.1 million. Not exactly pocket change.
What happened to the "Old" Mega Millions?
If you haven't played in a while, you might notice the price of a ticket has changed. Honestly, it's a different game than it was a few years ago.
Back in April 2025, the game went through a massive overhaul. The biggest kicker? Tickets now cost $5. I know, it sounds steep compared to the old $2 price point, but the logic was to make the "smaller" wins actually feel like wins.
Instead of winning a measly $2 for matching just the Mega Ball, you now pull in a minimum of **$10**. Basically, the game got more expensive so that the floor for prizes could rise. They also baked the multiplier (the Megaplier) into every single ticket. You don't have to pay extra for it anymore; it's just there.
Why the jackpot climbs faster now
The Mega Millions jackpot increase isn't just a random number pulled out of a hat. It's a calculation based on ticket sales and current interest rates.
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Since the 2025 rule change, the starting jackpot jumped from $20 million to **$50 million**. This means the "floor" is higher. When you combine that with the fact that the odds of winning the top prize improved slightly—moving from 1 in 302 million to 1 in 290,472,336—you get a game that builds momentum a lot faster than it used to.
More people are winning million-dollar prizes even when the jackpot doesn't move. In the last drawing alone, someone in Illinois (or using the Illinois Lottery system) managed to hit a secondary tier prize that was worth a fortune, even though they missed that gold ball.
The 2026 Tax Reality
If you do happen to beat those 290 million-to-one odds this Friday, 2026 brings some new paperwork realities.
The IRS recently adjusted some of its reporting thresholds. While lottery winnings are still taxed as ordinary income at the federal level (the top rate is 37%), the way smaller "jackpot" events are reported has shifted. As of January 1, 2026, the threshold for a W-2G form on many gambling winnings rose to $2,000 to keep up with inflation.
For a Mega Millions winner, this doesn't change much on the big check, but it does mean if you have a "smaller" win of, say, $1,500 on a secondary tier, you might not have the same immediate tax-reporting friction at the retailer that you would have had last year.
Still, don't let that fool you. Uncle Sam wants his cut. Whether it's a $100 million jackpot or a $10,000 match-four win, you’re responsible for the tax bill come April.
Is it actually worth the $5?
That’s the question everyone’s asking at the gas station counter lately.
The "Just the Jackpot" option is still a thing in some states like Texas and Ohio, where you can get two entries for $3, but you forfeit all the lower-tier prizes. Most people are sticking to the standard $5 ticket because of that built-in multiplier.
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Think about it this way:
Under the old rules, matching five white balls won you $1 million.
Under the new rules, with that mandatory multiplier, that same win can be worth anywhere from **$2 million to $10 million**.
It’s a high-stakes pivot. The lottery is basically betting that players would rather pay more for a chance at a "life-changing" secondary prize than pay less for a "nice dinner" secondary prize.
How to handle the Friday drawing
If you’re heading out to grab a ticket for the $230 million draw, here is the smart way to do it:
- Check the Deadline: Most states stop selling tickets at 10:45 p.m. ET on the night of the drawing. Don't be the person standing in line when the machine shuts off.
- Sign the Back: Seriously. It’s a bearer instrument. If you lose it and haven't signed it, whoever finds it owns it.
- Understand the Payouts: You have 60 days from the time you claim the prize to decide between the annuity (30 payments over 29 years) or the cash option. Most people take the cash, but with 2026 interest rates, the annuity is actually starting to look a bit more attractive to those who want long-term security.
- Pool Carefully: If you’re doing an office pool, get it in writing. Who bought the tickets? Who has copies? Nothing ruins a $230 million win faster than a three-year legal battle with your coworkers.
The next Mega Millions jackpot increase will happen late Friday night if no one hits the numbers. If we see another "roll," we could easily be looking at a quarter-billion-dollar headline by Saturday morning.