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Mega Millions winning numbers for Tuesday, Jan. 3; no winner so jackpot hits $940 million

John Connolly
NorthJersey.com

The Mega Millions is closing in on $1 billion after no one won Tuesday night's drawing.

Friday's jackpot will be an estimated $940 million with a cash option of $483.5 million, according to the Mega Millions website. 

The jackpot will remain the fourth largest Mega Millions ever and sixth largest lottery U.S. jackpot in history. (See charts below)

The numbers drawn on Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023 were:

25 - 29 - 33 - 41 - 44 and Megaball 18

Megaplier was 4x

Tuesday's Mega Millions jackpot was an estimated $785 million with a cash option of $403.8 million.

The jackpot was last won on Oct. 14 when lottery players in California and Florida split a $494 million jackpot - it was the 11th largest Mega Millions jackpot at the time.

Meanwhile, the Powerball jackpot is at $291 million with a cash option of $147.9 million, according to the Powerball website. 

Until recently, lottery winners in New Jersey were required to be identified, but now winners will be able to stay anonymous under a new law that was signed by Gov. Phil Murphy.  

Beware:No, a lottery jackpot winner isn't giving you money. How to spot a scammer

When is next Mega Millions drawing?

Mega Millions drawings are held every Tuesday and Friday at 11 p.m.

How do I play Mega Millions?

The cost is $2 per ticket, but you can add the Megaplier for $1, which will increase the amount of your potential prize up to five times the original prize (except for the jackpot).

Each player selects five numbers from 1 to 70 for the white balls and one number from 1 to 25 for the Mega Ball. However, you can also have the lottery machine generate a random Quick Pick for you.

Prizes vary from $2 for the matching the Mega Ball to $1 million for matching all five white balls (except in California) to the jackpot for matching all six balls. You can check all the prize payouts on the Mega Millions site here.

You don't need to be a U.S. citizen or a resident a particular state where you purchase your ticket.

New JerseyOnline lottery tickets sold by NJ could be an option for players next year

Where can I play Mega Millions?

You can play the game in 45 states plus the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The states not offering Mega Millions are: Alabama, Alaska, Hawaii, Nevada and Utah.

Many grocery stores, gas stations and convenience stores sell lottery tickets. Some states allow Mega Millions tickets to be purchased online, but beware of scam websites. Check with your state lottery for more details.

Powerball, Mega Millions:These are the luckiest states for jackpot winners

What is deadline for buying Mega Millions tickets?

In New Jersey, New York and Connecticut, tickets must be purchased by 10:45 p.m. on the Tuesday and Friday to be included in that night's drawing.

However, some states have different deadlines and can be more than an hour before the drawing. Check with your local lottery so you don't miss out.

What are my odds of winning?

Playing the Mega Millions can be exciting, but just don't go spending those millions before you win.

The odds of winning the jackpot are 302,575,350-to-1.

The odds to match all five white balls are 12,607,306-to-1.

Unlucky? Here are 13 crazy things more likely to happen than winning the lottery

What does cash option mean?

The major lotteries in the United States offer two jackpot payout options: annuity and cash.

The annuity option is paid out over time. There is an immediate payment and then 29 annual payments after that, increasing by 5% each year.

The cash option is significantly lower than the advertised jackpot, but it is paid in a lump sum. You don't have to wait decades for all the money.

What was biggest Mega Millions jackpot?

Here are the Top 10 jackpots ever since the Mega Millions began in 1996:

  1. $1.537 billion, Oct. 23, 2018: Won in South Carolina
  2. $1.337 billion: July 29, 2022: Illinois
  3. $1.05 billion, Jan. 22, 2021: Won in Michigan
  4. $940 million, Jan. 6, 2023:
  5. $656 million, March 30, 2012: Three winners in Illinois, Kansas, Maryland 
  6. $648 million, Dec. 17, 2013: Two winners in California, Georgia
  7. $543 million, July 24, 2018: Won in California
  8. $536 million, July 8, 20116: Won in Indiana
  9. $533 million: March 30, 2018: Won in New Jersey 
  10. $522 million: June 7, 2019: Won in California

What was largest U.S. lottery jackpot ever?

Here's a look at the top jackpots were won in the United States, between the Powerball and the Mega Millions lotteries:

  1. $2.04 billion, Powerball, Nov. 7, 2022: California
  2. $1.586 billion, Powerball, Jan. 13, 2016: Three winners in California, Florida, Tennessee
  3. $1.537 billion, Mega Millions, Oct. 23, 2018: Won in South Carolina
  4. $1.337 billion, Mega Millions, July 29, 2022: Illinois
  5. $1.05 billion, Mega Millions, Jan. 22, 2021: Won in Michigan
  6. $940 million, Powerball, Jan. 6, 2023
  7. $768.4 million, Powerball, March 27, 2019: Won in Wisconsin
  8. $758.7 million, Powerball, Aug. 23, 2017: Won in Massachusetts
  9. $730 million,, Powerball, Jan. 20, 2021: Won in Maryland
  10. $699.8 million, Powerball, Oct. 4, 2021: Won in California