The Mega Millions lottery has reached an astonishing 132 days without a jackpot winner, causing the top prize for the upcoming drawing on Tuesday, July 28, to soar to an estimated $800 million.
The upcoming July 28 drawing has now ascended into the top 10 of Mega Millions’ all-time jackpots. Following 37 consecutive rollovers without a single ticket matching all five white balls along with the gold Mega Ball, the prize has ballooned to become the 10th largest jackpot in the game’s history and the 18th largest lottery prize ever seen in the United States.
The one-time cash option available for the July 28 drawing is estimated to be $344.2 million, while the advertised $800 million jackpot would be paid out across 29 years.
Top Mega Millions Jackpots
Amount Date Winning Tickets
$1.602 billion 8/8/2023 1-FL
$1.537 billion 10/23/2018 1-SC
$1.348 billion 1/13/2023 1-ME
$1.337 billion 7/29/2022 1-IL
$1.269 billion 12/27/2024 1-CA
$1.128 billion 3/26/2024 1-NJ
$1.050 billion 1/22/2021 1-MI
$983 million 11/14/2025 1-GA
$810 million 9/10/2024 1-TX
$800 million (est.) 7/28/2026
Throughout the 37 drawings leading up to this estimated $800 million jackpot, Mega Millions has distributed nearly $252.4 million in prizes, with over 10.2 million tickets winning a prize. This includes 16 second-tier prizes of $1 million or more.
2026 Mega Millions Jackpots Overview
The year 2026 has seen a slow trend for significant Mega Millions wins, with the jackpot awarded only twice.
In the March 10 drawing, a winner in Illinois claimed a remarkable $533 million, opting to remain anonymous under the name “Lucky Lady.” Just a week later, another anonymous winner from “The Happy Trails Trust” claimed a $60 million jackpot in Ohio.
Mega Millions authorities noted this marks only the second occasion since the lottery’s inception in 2002 in which just two jackpots have been awarded by July 24. The last instance was in 2024, which ended with only four jackpots—the fewest in the game’s history.
Powerball Update
Similarly, Powerball is currently experiencing a jackpot drought, going 36 consecutive drawings without a winning top prize. The estimated jackpot for tonight’s (July 27) drawing stands at $633 million, with a cash option of $277.3 million.
In the previous Saturday drawing, six tickets matched all five white balls and nearly struck the jackpot, earning $1 million prizes but missing the red Powerball.
This year, the Powerball jackpot has been hit five times, with the latest being in May when two tickets in Florida and Texas shared a $20 million jackpot.
The largest Powerball jackpot won in 2026 was a staggering $250.8 million, received by a winner in Arkansas during the March 2 drawing.