Mega Lotto draws in America have generated combined jackpots of $2.5b, and Australians can participate by purchasing tickets to these Mega Lotteries.
Do Australians feel lucky? Aussies will have another shot this weekend to win more than $1b.
Australians will get another shot at winning an $1bn lottery jackpot this weekend after no one claimed it from Saturday’s draw of $1.4bn jackpot prize pool.
On Saturday afternoon, the USA Mega Millions draw failed to produce one big winner; instead five punters shared over $1m USD among themselves as prizes.
On Sunday, those who miss out in the lotto can look forward to an additional jackpot worth an estimated AUD $1.1bn being distributed as well.
The winning numbers were: 3, 8, 31, 35 and 44 – plus Mega Ball 16.
At its highest-to-date prize pool for 2016, Mega Lotto offered up its record $1.4bn jackpot for this weekend, not seen since December 9; moreover, Mega Millions’s $215.5m pot has not been won since January.
Jaclyn Wood, Chief Executive Officer of Lottery Office since 2018, noted this is only the second instance when two jackpots simultaneously reached more than $1 billion since she started operating her company in 2018.
Ms Wood noted the last time both Mega Lotto and Power Lotto jackpots exceeded one billion was on July 19, 2017, for only one day before USA Power Lotto was won.
On Tuesday’s Mega Millions draw, it will reportedly surpass $1bn USD; marking six out of the last seven times it has done so over its six year lifespan.
“This event has been immensely exciting for our players,” Ms Wood stated.
At such a magnitude, these jackpots could potentially be won anytime now; we hope one of our Australian customers takes home this prize!” “With jackpots this large it seems inevitable they will soon be claimed; an added treat would be for one of them to claim this win!”
Tickets for the $1.4billion draw can be purchased up until 11am on Saturday morning online.
“Winning such an enormous jackpot would be nothing short of life-altering, and with both jackpots reaching into billion-dollar territory our players stand a greater chance for massive success,” stated Ms Wood.
Through The Lottery Office – wholly Australian-owned – Ms Wood stated Australians now had access to jackpots that dwarf those traditionally seen here.
One key difference between American and Australian lotteries lies in tax treatment of prize winnings from America vs those won in Australia – prize money won in America is subject to income taxes while winnings received here are tax free.
Mega Millions has made history once again! On August 8, 2023 they awarded an unprecedented payout of AUD$2.4 billion!
On November 7, 2022, US Powerball recorded its largest payout ever of AUD$3.1 billion.
On Sunday at 3pm AEDT, the winning numbers will be drawn for this draw.