Mega Millions Jackpot Stands at $520 Million and Still No Winner
Currently at a mind-blowing $520 million, the Mega Millions jackpot is one of the biggest jackpot prize pots of 2025 so far. With the Mega Millions jackpot still up for grabs and growing in size, lottery fans are eager to take part in the next Mega Millions drawing on Friday October 3.
The Previous Drawing
September 30th’s numbers were 4, 8, 27, 37, 63, and the Mega Ball was 14. No ticket bought for the draw had a complete match.
But that’s not to say there were no significant winners. A Mega Millions ticket worth $1.5 million was sold in California at Village Wine and Spirits on South Victoria Avenue in Ventura. Nothing is known about this winner, or what numbers they matched (they are yet to claim their prize). But whoever it is, they are surely opening some metaphorical (or literal) champagne right about now.
What Happens to The Winner of the Current Mega Millions Jackpot?
Whoever wins the life-changing $520 million jackpot will get the same choice as every big winner: cash or annuity. If they choose the cash payout, they could reportedly receive around $182.5 million once the mandatory federal withholding tax of 24% is applied.
The winner may also face a federal marginal rate as high as 37%, knocking the prize pool down to about $151.2 million. But this depends on the individual’s taxable income. Opting for annuity payments for an agreed upon number of years would make their annual payments around $17.33 million a year, followed by additional payments that increase as time goes on.
Winning sums of huge prizes can often be taxed depending on the winner’s state of residence. For instance, New York taxes lottery winnings at 10.9% while other states including Florida, California, and Texas, do not tax lottery winnings at all.
However, once all of those logistics are taken care of the winnings will still be an earth-shaking amount.
How Mega Millions Works
In Mega Millions, five white balls are drawn from a pool of 70 plus one gold-colored MegaBall from a separate pool of 24. To win the jackpot, lottery players must match all six numbers. While the staggering 1 in 290.4 million odds may seem unreachable, they are now significantly lower than they previously were.
The previous odds were 1 in 302.5 million and as a result of adjustments made to the game in 2025, the odds of winning the jackpot as well as the odds of winning smaller prizes, have dropped. Check our Mega Millions odds page for a more detailed breakdown of current prize amounts.
When is the Next Mega Millions Draw?
The next Mega Millions drawing will take place on Friday, October 3 at 11 PM ET. Lottery players can take part by heading to a local lottery retailer and filling out a play slip, or online through a courier (in some states). Go to our tickets page to get your Mega Millions ticket and follow the steps:
1. Select the game of your choice on the tickets page
2. Pick your numbers.
3. Choose how many draws you wish to enter.
4. Confirm your selections and pay for your ticket.
Good luck!
Published: Thursday, October 2, 2025Updated: Thursday, October 2, 2025