You're standing in line at the gas station. It’s a Tuesday night, maybe a little rainy, and the neon sign in the window says the jackpot is sitting at half a billion dollars. You start thinking about that beach house in Maui or finally quitting that job that’s been grinding your gears for a decade. But then you look at your watch. It’s 10:40 p.m. You start to sweat. You wonder, when does the mega million come out, and more importantly, did you just miss your window?
Honestly, the schedule is the one thing you can actually count on in a game where the odds of winning are 1 in 302.6 million.
The short answer is that Mega Millions drawings happen twice a week, every single week. Rain or shine. Tuesday and Friday. The magic happens at 11:00 p.m. Eastern Time. If you're out on the West Coast, you're looking at 8:00 p.m. But while the drawing time is set in stone, the "coming out" part—the actual results—is a bit more of a moving target depending on where you live and how you check.
When Does the Mega Million Come Out on Drawing Nights?
The drawing itself takes place at the WSB-TV studios in Atlanta, Georgia. It’s a fast process. They use two lottery machines: one for the five white balls (1 through 70) and one for that gold Mega Ball (1 through 25).
If you are watching live, the numbers are official the second they settle into those plastic tubes. But for the rest of us waiting on an app or a website, there is a lag. Most official state lottery websites won't update their "Winning Numbers" section until about 15 to 30 minutes after the balls drop.
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The Breakdown by Time Zone
- Eastern Time: 11:00 p.m.
- Central Time: 10:00 p.m.
- Mountain Time: 9:00 p.m.
- Pacific Time: 8:00 p.m.
If you’re in Hawaii or Alaska, sorry—you guys don’t play Mega Millions locally, though people there often find "creative" ways to get tickets when they travel.
The "Cut-Off" Confusion
The biggest mistake people make isn't knowing when the drawing happens; it's knowing when the ticket sales stop. You can't just walk in at 10:59 p.m. and expect a ticket.
Every state has a "draw break." This is a period where the lottery computers stop taking bets so they can tally everything up before the drawing. This usually happens an hour or two before the actual balls drop. For example, in Florida and South Carolina, sales stop at 10:00 p.m. ET. In Georgia and Michigan, you have a bit more breathing room until 10:45 p.m. ET.
If you miss that window, you’re not buying a ticket for tonight. You’re buying a ticket for the next drawing. That’s a heartbreaker if your numbers actually hit on the night you thought you were playing.
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Why the Jackpot Amount Changes "When It Comes Out"
Ever notice how the jackpot is one number on Monday and another on Tuesday morning? That’s because the Mega Millions jackpot is an estimate based on ticket sales.
When a jackpot is massive, more people buy tickets. This creates a feedback loop. More sales mean a higher jackpot, which leads to even more sales. By the time the drawing "comes out," the actual prize is often millions of dollars higher than the "advertised" amount you saw on the billboard during your morning commute.
Does the Megaplier Change the Time?
No. The Megaplier is drawn right after the main numbers. It’s a separate machine with balls numbered 2 through 5. It doesn't delay the results, but it definitely changes the "when" of your payout if you win a smaller prize. If you hit four white balls and have the Megaplier, your $500 could suddenly become $2,500.
Where to Find Results Immediately
If you're refreshing your browser like a maniac, stop. There are better ways.
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- The Official YouTube Channel: Mega Millions usually uploads the drawing video within minutes.
- State Lottery Apps: Apps like the one from the New York Lottery or the Texas Lottery are built to push notifications.
- Local News: In major markets like Philadelphia (WTXF) or Pittsburgh (WPXI), they often run the numbers during the 11:00 p.m. news or right at the start of the late-night talk shows.
The delay usually happens because they have to verify that no "funny business" happened with the machines. They have independent auditors from firms like BMM Testlabs or GLI standing there in suits, making sure every ball weighs exactly the same and the air pressure in the machine is perfect. It’s a whole production.
What Happens if Nobody Wins?
If the 11:00 p.m. drawing happens and nobody matches all six numbers, the jackpot "rolls."
This is usually announced about two hours after the drawing. By 1:00 a.m. ET, the Mega Millions consortium will release a statement saying whether there was a winner and what the new jackpot will be for the next Tuesday or Friday.
If there is a winner, the jackpot resets to $20 million. It’s a bit of a letdown to see it drop from $800 million back to $20 million, but hey, twenty million is still enough to never see your boss again.
Essential Next Steps for Players
Before the next drawing rolls around, you need a plan. Don't be the person sprinting to the 7-Eleven at 10:44 p.m.
- Check your state's specific cutoff time. Don't assume it's 11:00 p.m. Most states stop sales at 10:00 p.m. or 10:45 p.m.
- Sign up for "Winning Number" alerts. Most state lottery websites have a text or email service. It’s way faster than manual searching.
- Verify your ticket. Use a self-scanner at a retail location if you think you won. Don't just rely on your tired eyes at midnight.
- Sign the back of your ticket. Seriously. If it "comes out" that you won and you lose that piece of paper, whoever finds it and signs it owns it.
The reality is that while the balls drop at 11:00 p.m., the "Mega Millions" experience really starts the moment you hold that ticket. Just make sure you get it before the clock strikes ten.