Mega Millions Jackpot Climbs to $296 Million for Memorial Day Weekend Drawing
Memorial Day weekend could turn into a life-changing payday for one lucky Mega Millions player. The jackpot has climbed to an eye-popping $296 million, and all it takes is a $5 ticket to dream big. ??
The last two jackpot wins happened during holiday season vibes, adding even more buzz to tonight’s drawing. One lucky ticket in Illinois landed a massive $533 million prize back in March, and just a week later, an Ohio player hit another jackpot worth $60 million on St. Patrick’s Day.
? Current Mega Millions Jackpot
- Jackpot: $296 million
- Cash Option: $128.6 million
- Next Drawing: Tuesday, May 26 at 11 p.m. ET
The prize has now rolled over 18 straight drawings, steadily growing from $50 million to nearly $300 million.
? Latest Winning Numbers
For the May 19 drawing, the winning numbers were:
10 - 26 - 34 - 56 - 64
Mega Ball: 6
? Mega Millions Ticket Price
Mega Millions tickets now cost $5 each after the game’s price increase in April 2025. The old optional Megaplier feature is no longer part of the game.
? What Are the Odds?
Winning the grand prize is extremely tough:
- Odds of hitting the jackpot: 1 in 290,472,336
Still, someone eventually beats those odds — and that’s what keeps players coming back.
? Biggest Mega Millions Jackpots Ever
Some of the largest Mega Millions prizes in history include:
- $1.602 billion — Florida (2023)
- $1.537 billion — South Carolina (2018)
- $1.348 billion — Maine (2023)
- $1.337 billion — Illinois (2022)
The Florida billion-dollar winner remains the biggest Mega Millions jackpot ever claimed on a single ticket.
?? Where to Buy Tickets
Lottery tickets are commonly sold at:
- Gas stations
- Grocery stores
- Convenience stores
- Select Walmart locations
- Publix supermarkets
Many Florida stores also offer self-service lottery vending machines.
? How Long Do Winners Have to Claim?
In Florida:
- Lottery prizes must be claimed within 180 days
- Winners choosing the lump-sum cash option have 60 days to claim it
? Can Lottery Winners Stay Anonymous in Florida?
Not fully. Florida law generally makes winner information public. However, prizes over $250,000 can stay temporarily private for up to 90 days after being claimed.
With nearly $300 million on the line, this Memorial Day weekend drawing could create the next lottery multimillionaire. ?
