Mega Millions Numbers for Oct.12, 2016: Live Results for $49 Million Jackpot Drawing, Schedule
The Mega Millions jackpot just got jacked up to $49 million, with an estimated cash-out option of $32 million after taxes and other deductions, for the draw on Tuesday, Oct. 12.
The prize hike comes after no one was able to bring home the grand prize last Friday, Oct. 7. Mega Millions drawings are held bi-weekly, every Tuesday and Friday, at 11 p.m. EST.
Recap of Friday's draw, Oct. 7
Get Our Latest News for FREE
The winning numbers on Friday's draw were 24, 37, 42, 50, and 65. The golden ball was 14, while the Megaplier was at 2x. The estimated pot, on the other hand, was at $41 million.
While no one successfully matched all five white balls plus the golden ball for the jackpot prize, two lucky players were able to match five white balls for the second top prize: the $1 million. One of them had played the Megaplier option, which brought his or her total earnings to $2 million. The winning tickets were bought from the states of Michigan and South Carolina, according to the Powerball website.
Meanwhile, 19 lucky players were able to match four white balls plus the Powerball for $5,000. None of them opted for the Megaplier, which would have doubled their earnings to $10,000. More than 260 winners were able to match four white balls for $500, while more than 1,200 winners were able to match three white balls plus the golden ball for $50. All in all, nearly 900,000 players were able to win a prize, while about 800,000 of them were able to bring home prizes of $5, $2, and $1
How to play the Mega Millions
Like the Powerball, the Mega Millions is another option for aspiring millionaires. To win, players must submit five numbers from one to 75, and another number from one to 15, to match with the five white balls and the golden ball drawn, respectively. Players win by making the most matches with the numbers drawn during the lottery date. More matches mean higher prizes, albeit with higher odds of winning.
A Mega Millions ticket costs only $1, while the Megaplier option, which multiplies non-jackpot earnings by two to five times, will set back players by an extra $2. The odds of winning the jackpot are one in 258 million, while the odds of winning any prize are one in 15.
Should players miss out on the jackpot, don't fret - there are nine ways to win the Mega Millions. Players win by matching all white balls plus the golden ball for the grand prize, to matching just the golden ball for $1. The Mega Millions is a multistate lottery played in 46 localities, plus the District of Columbia and the US Virgin Islands.
