See which states are the luckiest in the lottery
USA TODAY’s Fernando Cervantes shares which states have claimed the most Powerball and Mega Millions jackpots wins.
The Mega Millions jackpot has climbed to $80 million ahead of the drawing on Tuesday, Aug. 11 with a $34.4 million cash option available to whoever matches all six numbers.
The prize has been rebuilding since a ticket sold at a Wawa in Bradenton, Florida, hit all six numbers on July 28 to win an $800 million jackpot. Three rollovers later, Mega Millions is back up to $80 million, giving players another shot at a life-changing payday.
With Tuesday’s drawing just hours away, here’s what players need to know.
What are the winning Mega Millions numbers for 8/11/2026?
USA TODAY will post the winning numbers for Tuesday’s Mega Millions lottery after the drawing at 11 p.m. ET
When is the next Mega Millions drawing?
The next Mega Millions drawing is scheduled for Friday, August 14, at 11 p.m. ET.
Top 10 Mega Millions Jackpots
- $1.602 billion on Aug. 8, 2023 in Florida
- $1.537 billion on Oct. 23, 2018 in South Carolina
- $1.348 billion on Jan. 1, 2023 in Maine
- $1.337 billion on July 29, 2022 in Illinois
- $1.269 billion on Dec. 27, 2024 in California
- $1.128 billion on Mar. 26, 2024 in New Jersey
- $1.05 billion on Jan 22, 2021 in Michigan
- $983 million on Nov. 14, 2025 in Georgia
- $810 million on Sept. 10, 2024 in Texas
- $803 million on July 28, 2026 in Florida
How to play the Mega Millions
To play the Mega Millions, you have to buy a ticket. You can do this at several locations, including your local convenience store, gas station or even grocery store. In some states, Mega Millions tickets can be bought online.
Once you have your ticket, you need to pick six numbers. Five of them will be white balls with numbers from 1 to 70. The gold Mega Ball ranges from 1 to 24.
If you’re feeling especially unlucky or don’t want to go through the hassle of picking, you can ask for a “Quick Pick” or an ”Easy Pick.” These options let the computer randomly generate numbers for you.
Mega Millions tickets now include a built-in multiplier, which increases non-jackpot prizes by two, three, four, five, or 10 times. Before, players had to pay an extra dollar to add the “Megaplier.”
Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach him at fernando.cervantes@usatodayco.com and follow him on X @fern_cerv_