News writer
Lottery fever is heating up in the United States as three major jackpots reach staggering amounts simultaneously, giving players multiple shots at life-changing prizes.
Multi-state draw game jackpots continue to rise
Each multi-state draw game offers massive payouts, with Lotto America hitting its second-highest jackpot ever at $27.06 million. The estimated cash payout stands at $12.62 million, making it an attractive option for players in the 15 states where tickets are available.
Lotto America's wide availability makes it one of the most played games in the country. The large pool of players allows the game to offer more impressive prizes than individual state lotteries can manage alone.
History of cooperation
Lotto America originated in 1988 when seven U.S. lotteries formed a cooperative to offer jackpot prizes that could reach tens of millions of dollars. Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Oregon, Rhode Island, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia established the Multi-State Lottery Association in December 1987, with the first drawing held shortly after.
The game recently made headlines when an Iowa player won a record $40.03 million jackpot on April 3, 2023—the largest in the game's history. This win ended a nearly two-year jackpot drought.
Lotto America drawings occur Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday at 10:15 p.m. ET.
Powerball reaches new heights
Powerball's estimated jackpot has climbed to $444 million with a cash value of $207.2 million. The game is played in 45 states, Washington DC, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Drawings are held every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday at 10:59 p.m. ET, with sales cut-off times varying by jurisdiction, typically one to two hours before drawing time.
The game celebrated its 32nd anniversary in April 2024. When the first Powerball drawing occurred on April 22, 1992, only 15 lotteries participated. Today, 48 U.S. lotteries sell Powerball tickets.
Mega Millions joins the excitement
Completing the trifecta, Mega Millions offers an estimated jackpot of $324 million with a cash option of $150.6 million. The next drawing is scheduled for Friday, March 21, at 11 p.m. ET.
Mega Millions began as "the Big Game" on August 31, 1996. The first drawing took place on September 6 that year, and just six states participated: Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, and Virginia.
The game holds the record for one of the largest lottery prizes in history—$1.602 billion won in Florida on August 8, 2023. This surpassed the previous record of $1.537 billion won in South Carolina on October 23, 2018.
Today, Mega Millions is available in 47 localities: 45 states plus the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
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