You’re staring at that $5 ticket, wondering if this is the one. We’ve all been there. Whether you’re a "Quick Pick" devotee or someone who meticulously tracks "hot" and "cold" numbers, the timing is everything. If you missed the last set of numbers, you’re likely asking about the next Mega Millions drawing.
The next drawing is set for Tuesday, January 20, 2026.
The jackpot has officially climbed to an estimated $250 million. If you’re the type who prefers the bird-in-the-hand approach, the cash option is sitting at roughly $113.5 million. That’s a lot of zeros.
Honestly, the game changed quite a bit back in April 2025. If you haven't played in a while, you might notice the price jumped to $5. But with that jump, they baked the multiplier right into the ticket. No more "Megaplier" add-on. Every non-jackpot prize now gets boosted automatically, which kinda takes the guesswork out of the purchase.
When is the next Mega Millions drawing happening?
The schedule is like clockwork. Drawings happen every Tuesday and Friday at 11:00 p.m. Eastern Time.
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If you aren’t on the East Coast, here is the breakdown so you don't miss the window:
- Central Time: 10:00 p.m.
- Mountain Time: 9:00 p.m.
- Pacific Time: 8:00 p.m.
The drawing itself happens at the WSB-TV studios in Atlanta, Georgia. Usually, it's a pretty quick affair. They pull five white balls from a drum of 70, then one gold Mega Ball from a drum of 24.
The deadline you actually need to know
Here is the thing: the drawing time isn't the same as the buying time. This is where people get burned. Every state has its own cutoff.
In many places, sales stop at 10:45 p.m. ET, just fifteen minutes before the balls start rolling. But don't bank on that. Some states, like Illinois or Washington, or even your local gas station with a slow internet connection, might cut you off earlier. Online sales usually have a slightly different clock too. If you’re trying to buy a ticket at 10:43 p.m. for an 11:00 p.m. draw, you’re basically living on the edge.
If you miss the cutoff, your ticket isn't void—it just rolls over to the following drawing. So if you bought a ticket late on Tuesday, you're actually playing for Friday.
Why the $5 ticket changed the game
Back in the day, tickets were $2. Then you’d pay an extra buck for the multiplier. Now, it's a flat $5.
It felt like a big jump to a lot of casual players. But the lottery folks argue that the prizes are better. Basically, every play now has a multiplier (2X, 3X, 4X, 5X, or even 10X) randomly assigned. This means if you match four white balls, instead of just winning $500, you could be looking at $5,000 if you hit that 10X multiplier.
The lowest prize is now $10. So even if you only match the Mega Ball, you've doubled your money. Sorta.
How to watch the drawing live
Most people just check the app or Google the results the next morning. But if you want the adrenaline of watching it happen, you've got options.
Many local news stations carry the draw live. If you’re in New York, you might see it on WABC-7. In Philly, it's usually WTXF-29. If you’re a cord-cutter, the official Mega Millions website streams it, and there’s always a YouTube live feed if you search right at 11:00 p.m.
What happened in the last drawing?
On Friday, January 16, 2026, the numbers were 02, 22, 33, 42, 67 and the Mega Ball was 01.
Nobody hit the big one. That's why we're sitting at $250 million now. There were some decent "Match 5" winners across the country, though. Some of those folks walked away with $2 million or more because of the built-in multiplier. It’s a nice consolation prize, to say the least.
Real talk on the odds
Look, we have to be realistic. The odds of hitting the jackpot are 1 in 302,575,350.
You’re more likely to be struck by lightning while being bitten by a shark. Okay, maybe not that extreme, but it's close. However, the odds of winning any prize are about 1 in 24. That’s why people keep playing. It’s the "what if" factor.
If you actually win: The immediate next steps
Let's say the unthinkable happens. You check your numbers on Tuesday night and they match. All six of them.
- Sign the back of the ticket. Immediately. In most states, a lottery ticket is a "bearer instrument." That means whoever holds it, owns it. If you lose an unsigned winning ticket, you're out of luck.
- Stay quiet. Don't post a photo of it on Instagram. Don't call your boss and quit. Just breathe.
- Check your state's "anonymity" laws. Some states, like Delaware or Texas, let you stay anonymous. Others, like New York or California, make your name public record. You might want to set up a trust before claiming the prize.
- Get a lawyer and a tax pro. You're going to lose a massive chunk to federal taxes (24% off the top, plus the rest later), and state taxes vary wildly. If you live in Florida or Texas, you're in luck—no state tax on winnings. If you're in New York City, prepare for a haircut.
Annuity vs. Cash: Which is better?
This is the eternal debate.
The Cash Option ($113.5 million for the next draw) gives you everything at once. Most people take this because they think they can invest it and make more than the lottery's interest rate.
The Annuity Option pays you out over 30 years. You get one immediate payment, then 29 more, with each check being 5% bigger than the last. It’s "idiot-proof" money. Even if you blow the first few millions on a fleet of Ferraris, you’ve still got more coming next year.
Summary of what to do now
If you're planning to jump in for the Tuesday, January 20 drawing, don't wait until the last second. Grab your ticket by Monday or early Tuesday afternoon to avoid the "jackpot fever" lines that tend to form at convenience stores when the prize starts getting into the nine-figure range.
Check your local state lottery app for the specific cutoff time in your zip code. Double-check your numbers against the official site—don't trust a third-party social media post. Most importantly, keep it fun. It's a $5 dream, not a retirement plan.
Once you have your ticket, find a safe spot for it. A lot of people put them in the fridge or a Bible. Just remember where that spot is. Tuesday night at 11:00 p.m. ET is when the world finds out if there’s a new multi-millionaire in the mix.