The $100 million jackpot for the Mega Millions lottery drawing on October 18, 2023 has captured the attention of lottery players across the country. With a prize this large up for grabs, many are wondering if there was a lucky winner who matched all 6 numbers to claim the enormous grand prize.
What were the winning Mega Millions numbers for October 18?
The winning numbers for the October 18, 2023 Mega Millions drawing were 3, 5, 23, 27, 64, with a Mega Ball of 22. In order to win the $100 million jackpot, a ticket must match all 6 of these numbers. The overall odds of doing this are about 1 in 302 million.
Has anyone come forward with a winning ticket yet?
As of right now, no winner has come forward to claim the $100 million jackpot. It typically takes at least a few days for lottery officials to confirm whether or not a winning ticket was sold for a large prize like this. Lottery winners have the option of remaining anonymous in most states, so the public may not find out right away if someone has the winning ticket.
What happens if no one claims the Mega Millions jackpot?
If no one comes forward with a valid winning ticket for this Mega Millions drawing by the claim deadline, which varies by state but is usually within 180 days of the draw, the $100 million jackpot will roll over into the next drawing. This means the jackpot for the next drawing would grow even larger.
Rollover jackpots frequently occur when the odds are so long against matching all 6 numbers. It’s not uncommon for massive jackpots to roll over multiple times before someone finally wins.
Where was the winning ticket sold?
At this time, it is unknown where the winning ticket may have been purchased, if one was sold. Mega Millions tickets are sold in 45 states, plus Washington, D.C. and the U.S. Virgin Islands. If a winner surfaces, lottery officials will announce the state where the jackpot-winning ticket was sold.
What were the biggest Mega Millions jackpots?
Here are the 5 biggest Mega Millions jackpots to date:
| Jackpot Amount | Date Won |
|---|---|
| $1.537 billion | October 23, 2018 |
| $1.050 billion | January 22, 2021 |
| $656 million | March 30, 2012 |
| $648 million | December 17, 2013 |
| $543 million | July 24, 2018 |
The current $100 million jackpot ranks among the top 10 biggest Mega Millions prizes of all time. If no one wins it, the jackpot could potentially climb into the top 5 in the next drawing.
How long has it been since someone won Mega Millions?
The Mega Millions jackpot was last won on July 29, 2022 when someone in Illinois won $1.337 billion – the second largest lottery prize ever in the United States. Since then, the jackpot has rolled over 25 times before reaching the current $100 million for the October 18, 2023 draw.
This long stretch without a jackpot winner is partially why the current prize has gotten so high. The longer it takes for someone to match all 6 numbers, the bigger the jackpot grows.
What are the odds of winning any Mega Millions prize?
The odds of winning any Mega Millions prize, from $2 up to the jackpot, are listed below:
| Prize Level | Odds of Winning |
|---|---|
| Match 5 + Mega Ball | 1 in 302,575,350 |
| Match 5 | 1 in 12,607,306 |
| Match 4 + Mega Ball | 1 in 931,001 |
| Match 4 | 1 in 38,792 |
| Match 3 + Mega Ball | 1 in 14,547 |
| Match 3 | 1 in 606 |
| Match 2 + Mega Ball | 1 in 693 |
| Match 1 + Mega Ball | 1 in 89 |
| Match 0 + Mega Ball | 1 in 37 |
As you can see, matching even just the Mega Ball offers significantly better odds than matching all 5 white balls plus the Mega Ball required for the jackpot.
How much were ticket sales before the drawing?
Ticket sales always surge when the Mega Millions jackpot grows to such huge amounts. For the October 18, 2023 drawing with a $100 million jackpot, over $300 million worth of tickets were sold.
Whenever a lottery jackpot exceeds $500 million, it is not unusual for a single drawing to generate over $1 billion in ticket sales. The lottery operators use a percentage of sales to fund the prize pools.
Where does lottery revenue go?
In most states, lottery revenue goes to support government programs and services. Here is how Mega Millions ticket sales are typically allocated:
- 50% to prizes
- 35% to state funds
- 12% to retailer commissions and bonuses
- 3% to lottery operations
State funds pay for a variety of programs such as education, environmental protection, senior citizens benefits, infrastructure, and more. So while one person may win a huge prize, public services also receive significant funding from lotteries like Mega Millions.
What was the biggest single Mega Millions win?
The largest Mega Millions jackpot awarded to a single ticket holder was $1.537 billion, won in South Carolina on October 23, 2018. The winner chose to remain anonymous and take the lump sum cash option of $877.8 million.
Largest Mega Millions jackpots
| Amount | Date | Winner |
|---|---|---|
| $1.537 billion | 10/23/2018 | South Carolina (1 ticket) |
| $656 million | 3/30/2012 | Illinois, Kansas, Maryland (3 tickets) |
| $648 million | 12/17/2013 | California, Georgia (2 tickets) |
| $543 million | 7/24/2018 | California (1 ticket) |
| $536 million | 7/8/2016 | Indiana (1 ticket) |
The $1.537 billion jackpot in 2018 stands high above the rest. Most giant jackpots are split between multiple winning tickets, but that one went to a single Mega Millions player.
Have groups won the Mega Millions before?
There have been several instances of Mega Millions jackpots being split between multiple winning tickets. Groups, such as office pools, frequently purchase lottery tickets together.
Some notable group winners of massive Mega Millions prizes include:
- March 2012 – A $656 million jackpot was split 3 ways between winners in Illinois, Kansas, and Maryland. The Maryland winners worked together in a public school system.
- December 2013 – Two winning tickets, purchased in California and Georgia, split a $648 million jackpot.
- July 2016 – A $536 million jackpot was won by a group of 20 co-workers in Indiana who all chipped in to buy tickets.
These examples demonstrate that pooling money to buy more Mega Millions tickets can lead groups of people to share enormous lottery prizes.
Have Mega Millions winners stayed anonymous?
Some of the biggest Mega Millions jackpot winners have chosen to remain anonymous after claiming their prizes. This is possible in states that allow lottery winners to maintain anonymity.
Both the $1.537 billion winner in South Carolina in 2018 and the $1.050 billion winner in Michigan in 2021 elected to stay anonymous to the public. Powerball’s largest jackpot winner of $1.586 billion in 2016 also remained anonymous after purchasing the winning ticket in California.
Lottery winners may choose anonymity for various personal reasons. This option allows them to avoid publicity or security concerns that sometimes come with taking home such huge windfalls.
Has anyone ever lost a winning Mega Millions ticket?
Unfortunately, there have been some cases of people losing winning lottery tickets before being able to claim their prizes. Without valid physical proof of the winning numbers, lottery officials have no way to verify an individual’s claim.
Two particularly sad cases:
- In 2003, a $46 million winning ticket was never found after the owner accidentally washed it.
- In 2011, a $77 million jackpot ticket went unclaimed after the owner couldn’t locate it.
To avoid scenarios like this, lottery experts strongly advise signing the back of tickets immediately after checking numbers. Taking a picture or photocopy can also provide backup proof.
What is the best strategy for winning Mega Millions?
There is no guaranteed strategy for winning the Mega Millions jackpot or any other lottery prize. The odds are overwhelmingly against matching all 6 numbers drawn from two pools, no matter the approach.
However, there are some tactics that may slightly improve the odds:
- Buy multiple tickets to increase chances
- Join an office pool or group to buy more tickets
- Use computer auto-picks for randomly generated numbers
- Mix up number selections (high, low, odd, even numbers)
- Check tickets carefully to avoid missing a win
The more number combinations played, the better the odds. But jackpot winners always require a healthy dose of good fortune!
How much do people spend chasing the jackpot?
With Mega Millions fever sweeping the country during huge jackpots, many people get caught up in the excitement and spend significant amounts chasing the dream of instant riches.
Surveys have found that when the jackpot exceeds $500 million, the average player spends $10 to $15 on tickets per drawing. With millions of people playing, this quickly adds up to giant sales totals for the lotteries.
Of course, the odds of winning remain tiny, and the vast majority will spend far more on tickets than they will ever recoup in prizes. Playing responsibly within a budget is good advice.
Do jackpot winners invest or splurge?
Financial advisers generally recommend lottery winners invest the bulk of their windfall to ensure long-term wealth. However, many winners still splurge on high-ticket luxury items.
Based on surveys and press reports, common big purchases include:
- Mansions
- Sports cars
- Jewelry
- Vacations
- Gifts for family and friends
There are also heartwarming examples of jackpot winners donating large amounts to charity. Any way the money is used, massive lottery prizes are life-changing events.
What are the most common Mega Millions numbers drawn?
Analyzing the frequency of past Mega Millions number draws can identify which numbers are most common and least common. These are the numbers drawn most often since 2010:
| Number | Times Drawn |
|---|---|
| 17 | 287 |
| 10 | 276 |
| 31 | 276 |
| 4 | 275 |
| 35 | 271 |
And these are the least common numbers:
| Number | Times Drawn |
|---|---|
| 13 | 218 |
| 21 | 224 |
| 26 | 225 |
| 34 | 225 |
| 46 | 226 |
Some players look for patterns like this to try boosting their chances. But in reality, each number has an equal probability in each drawing.
Conclusion
The $100 million Mega Millions jackpot for the October 18, 2023 drawing will continue captivating the public until a winner emerges. For now, lottery hopefuls will keep dreaming about what they would do with such sudden and immense wealth. Time will tell if this huge prize ultimately gets claimed, and whether Lady Luck chooses one person or a lucky group of winners to hit the jackpot.
