The Mega Millions jackpot has continued to grow after players failed to match the six winning numbers. In addition to that, the drawing suggested a temporary slowdown since there were almost no significant wins.
The Jackpot Continues to Rise
The June 16 drawing had the jackpot set at $430 million with a cash option of $191.2 million. With the prize going unclaimed for several months, it has now reached a point where winning would truly change someone’s life for good. However, such a win has yet to happen since yesterday’s drawing went without much happening.
For reference, the winning numbers for the drawing were 12, 20, 53, 67, and 70, plus the gold Mega Ball 12. Matching all of them would have netted someone the top prize, while matching only the five numbers would have resulted in a Match 5 windfall of between $2 million and $10 million for a hypothetical lucky player. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen.
At the same time, there aren’t many third-tier prizes either. For context, netting the game’s third-tier prize of between $20,000 and $100,000 (depending on the multiplier) requires players to match four white numbers and the Mega Ball. In this case, only a single player was lucky enough to win such a prize and will take home $30,000 due to their 3x multiplier.
The Mega Millions jackpot has reached $452 million for the drawing on Friday, June 19. The cash option associated with the prize stands at $201 million.
Fans Eagerly Await the Third Mega Millions Jackpot for 2026
The Mega Millions game has been experiencing a seasonal lull, which isn’t uncommon. As with Powerball, many players hope that this could be the calm before a storm, as it has been months since either game has awarded a jackpot.
One of the most recent big prizes won by a Mega Millions player was a $4 million Match 5 prize that went to a ticket holder in New York. Earlier this month, a player from Florida won a similar prize.
The Mega Millions jackpot has been won only two times in 2026, with both wins happening almost back-to-back in March.