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If you're holding a ticket or thinking about grabbing one, you’re probably staring at the clock. The question of when is the next mega million drawing is pretty easy to answer, but the timing is everything if you actually want a shot at the money.
The next drawing is happening tonight, Friday, January 16, 2026, at 11 p.m. Eastern Time.
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Honestly, it’s a big one. After nobody hit all the numbers this past Tuesday, the jackpot has rolled over to an estimated $230 million. If you aren't into the 30-year annuity plan and just want the bag upfront, the cash option is sitting at roughly $105.1 million. Not a billion, sure, but definitely enough to retire by Monday.
The Schedule You Need to Bookmark
Mega Millions doesn't switch things up often. It’s consistent. Drawings happen twice a week, every single week:
- Tuesday nights at 11 p.m. ET
- Friday nights at 11 p.m. ET
They draw the numbers at the WSB-TV studios in Atlanta, Georgia. Most people just check their phones ten minutes after the draw, but if you want to watch the balls drop live, you can catch it on local stations or the official Mega Millions YouTube channel.
When Is The Next Mega Million Drawing and When Do Sales Stop?
This is where people usually mess up. Just because the drawing is at 11 p.m. doesn't mean you can buy a ticket at 10:59 p.m. Every state has its own "cutoff" time.
Basically, the lottery computers need a breather to process all the bets before the balls start rolling. In most places, sales cut off at 10:45 p.m. ET, but some states like Illinois or New York might shut it down at 10:00 p.m. sharp. If you’re playing online through a state app, don't wait until the last second. Servers lag. You've probably been there—trying to checkout while the clock ticks down only for the app to spin.
What happened in the last drawing?
On Tuesday, January 13, the winning numbers were 16, 40, 56, 64, and 66, with the Mega Ball 4.
Nobody took home the $215 million that night. However, it wasn't a total wash for everyone. A few lucky people matched five white balls (without the Mega Ball) and took home $1 million. In some states, like Ohio, players hit smaller prizes ranging from $2 to $10,000. It's those "Match 5" winners that really hurt to see—so close, yet so far from the big jackpot.
Understanding the 2026 Odds and Pricing
If you haven't played in a while, things look a little different now. A single play now costs $5.
The game underwent a major overhaul back in April 2025. The price jumped, but they actually made the odds of winning the jackpot slightly better. It used to be 1 in 302 million; now it’s about 1 in 290.4 million. Still a long shot? Totally. But hey, progress.
One cool thing about the new $5 ticket is that the "Multiplier" (what used to be called the Megaplier) is now built-in. You don't have to pay extra for it. Every ticket automatically gets a multiplier of 2X, 3X, 4X, 5X, or even 10X. This can turn a $1 million second-tier prize into a $10 million windfall instantly.
How to actually play (the simple version)
You pick five numbers from 1 to 70 and one Mega Ball number from 1 to 24.
Most people just go with the Quick Pick. It's easier. Statistical experts will tell you that the machine-generated numbers have the same mathematical chance as your birthday or anniversary. Actually, using birthdays can be a disadvantage because you're limited to numbers 1 through 31, which means if those numbers hit, you're more likely to share the jackpot with dozens of other people who did the same thing.
Where is the money coming from?
Mega Millions is played in 45 states, plus Washington D.C. and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Only Alabama, Alaska, Hawaii, Nevada, and Utah stay out of the mix.
If you're in a "dark" state, you’ve basically got to drive across the border to get a ticket. People in Las Vegas do it all the time, heading over to Primm, Nevada, to stand in line at the California border. It’s sort of a tradition at this point.
Practical Steps for Tonight
- Check your state's cutoff: If you're in a state like New Jersey or Virginia, aim to have your ticket by 10 p.m. just to be safe.
- Sign the back: If you buy a physical ticket, sign it immediately. A ticket is a "bearer instrument," meaning whoever holds it owns it. Don't lose out because of a dropped piece of paper.
- Check the Multiplier: Since it's built-in now, look at your ticket after you buy it to see which multiplier you got. It's printed right there.
- Wait for the results: Numbers are usually posted on the official site by 11:30 p.m. ET.
The jackpot for the next Mega Millions drawing on Friday night is a life-changing amount of money. Just remember to play responsibly—it's a game of chance, and the odds are definitely stacked against us. But someone has to win eventually, right? Might as well be you.