You’re standing at the bodega counter, thumbing through a stack of tickets, wondering if this is the one. We’ve all been there. Checking the new york state mega million numbers feels like a ritual in this state. It’s a mix of hope, a little bit of "what if," and the inevitable squinting at a tiny screen to see if those digits actually match.
But honestly, most people just look at the jackpot and call it a day if they don't see all six. That is a massive mistake. You're leaving money on the table. New York has some of the highest participation rates in the country, and because of that, there are almost always "smaller" winners—people taking home $500, $10,000, or even a million—who just never check their tickets properly.
What are the latest new york state mega million numbers?
If you're looking for the most recent results, here is the breakdown from the drawing on Friday, January 16, 2026. The winning numbers were:
2 - 22 - 33 - 42 - 67 and the Mega Ball was 1.
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The Megaplier for this specific draw was 3x.
No one hit the big one this time. The jackpot was sitting at a cool $230 million, and since it went untouched, it’s rolling over to an estimated **$250 million** for the next drawing on Tuesday, January 20. Even though the top prize didn't go, New Yorkers still saw some action. Specifically, two tickets across the country matched all five white balls but missed the Mega Ball—those folks are now millionaires (well, before the tax man takes his cut).
Why the Tuesday and Friday routine matters
The drawings happen at 11:00 PM ET. If you're in NY, you've basically got until 10:45 PM to get your entry in. I’ve seen people sprint into gas stations at 10:43 PM, and let me tell you, that’s a lot of stress for a $2 ticket.
The jackpot for the last Tuesday draw (January 13) used the numbers 16, 40, 56, 64, 66 with a Mega Ball of 4. It’s interesting to see how the numbers shift; you’ll notice that sometimes certain decades—like the 60s in that Tuesday draw—just dominate the board.
The Megaplier: The New York secret to a bigger payday
Most people skip the extra dollar for the Megaplier. I get it. $2 is already enough for a "dream." But in New York, where we like everything bigger, that multiplier is where the real value hides.
Take the Tier 3 prize. If you match four white balls and the Mega Ball, you win $10,000. Not bad, right? But if you had the Megaplier on Friday night (which was 3x), that $10,000 suddenly becomes $30,000. That is the difference between a used car and a very nice down payment on a house.
In the January 16 drawing, there were four winners nationally at that Tier 3 level who used the multiplier. They tripled their money just by checking a box.
How to actually check your tickets (and not miss a prize)
Don't just look for the jackpot. The New York Lottery is famous for having a "long tail" of winners. You can win just by matching the Mega Ball.
- Match the Mega Ball only: You win $2. Basically, you got your next ticket for free.
- Match 1 white ball + Mega Ball: You get $4.
- Match 3 white balls: That's $10.
- Match 5 white balls (no Mega Ball): This is the "Second Prize." It’s $1,000,000.
I once talked to a clerk in Queens who said he sees at least three or four "expired" winning tickets a month because people throw them away if they don't see the "Big Numbers." Don't be that person. Use the New York Lottery app. It has a scanner feature that uses your phone's camera. It takes two seconds and it's foolproof.
The tax bite in New York
We have to talk about it. New York is one of the "hungriest" states when it comes to lottery winnings. If you win a big prize, you’re looking at federal taxes, state taxes, and if you live in the five boroughs, New York City taxes too.
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For the $230 million jackpot we just saw, the cash option was roughly $105.1 million. After all the taxes are stripped away, a New York City resident would actually take home significantly less than someone winning the exact same amount in, say, Florida. It sucks, but it's the price of living in the Empire State.
Common myths about NY Mega Millions
People love to say the game is "rigged" or that certain stores are "lucky."
Let's be real: it's all math. The odds of hitting the jackpot are 1 in 302,575,350. To put that in perspective, you are more likely to be struck by lightning while being eaten by a shark. Okay, maybe not that extreme, but it's close.
However, some stores do sell more winning tickets. Why? Because they sell more tickets in general. A busy shop in Midtown Manhattan is going to have more "winners" than a quiet corner store in Upstate simply because the volume is higher. It doesn't mean the machine there is "hot."
What happens if you actually win?
First, sign the back of the ticket. Immediately. In New York, a lottery ticket is a "bearer instrument," meaning whoever holds it, owns it. If you drop it on the sidewalk and haven't signed it, whoever picks it up can technically claim that money.
For prizes over $600, you have to go to a New York Lottery Customer Service Center. There are locations in Manhattan, Long Island, Albany, Syracuse, and Buffalo. You’ll need your ID and social security card. They don't just hand you a suitcase of cash—usually, it takes a few weeks for the check to process.
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Strategic next steps for the next draw
Since the new york state mega million numbers are heading toward a $250 million jackpot for Tuesday, here is how you should handle it:
- Check your old tickets: Use the official NY Lottery app to scan anything sitting in your console or junk drawer from the Jan 13 or Jan 16 draws.
- Decide on the Megaplier: If you're playing the next round, decide if that extra $1 is worth the chance to triple your non-jackpot winnings.
- Group play rules: if you're doing an office pool (very common in NYC offices), make sure you have a written agreement. New York courts have seen plenty of lawsuits over "who owned the ticket" when a group wins.
- Set a budget: It's a game. Spend the $2 or $5, but don't spend the rent money. The odds don't change just because you bought 100 tickets instead of one.
The next drawing is Tuesday night at 11:00 PM. Good luck, New York.