WASHINGTON — The Mega Millions jackpot was on the rise with $300 million on the line for Tuesday's drawing at the same time Powerball's grand prize is heating up.
Mega Millions hasn't seen a grand prize winner since April 18, when a 71-year-old man from New York won the state's largest Mega Millions jackpot ever. Johnnie Taylor of Howard Beach in Queens, New York, won $476 million but opted for the cash option — a lump sum of more than $157 million after taxes.
For Tuesday's drawing, the cash option came out to $157.2 million.
Winners almost always take the cash option, but they do have a choice to instead get the full amount in annual payments over 29 years.
Mega Millions winning numbers for June 20, 2023:
The winning numbers were 6-37-39-45-46 and Mega Ball 21.
There was no jackpot winner Tuesday, though five players won $40,000. The estimated jackpot for the next Mega Millions drawing, which will take place Friday night, rises to $320 million.
What are the largest lottery jackpots ever won?
1. $2.04 billion, Powerball, Nov. 8, 2022 (one ticket, from California)
2. $1.586 billion, Powerball, Jan. 13, 2016 (three tickets, from California, Florida, Tennessee)
3. $1.537 billion, Mega Millions, Oct. 23, 2018 (one ticket, from South Carolina)
4. $1.35 billion, Mega Millions, Jan. 13, 2023 (one ticket, from Maine)
5. $1.337 billion, Mega Millions, July 29, 2022 (one ticket, from Illinois)
6. $1.05 billion, Mega Millions, Jan. 22, 2021 (one ticket, from Michigan)
7. $768.4 million, Powerball, March 27, 2019 (one ticket, from Wisconsin)
8. $758.7 million, Powerball, Aug. 23, 2017 (one ticket, from Massachusetts)
9. $731.1 million, Powerball, Jan. 20, 2021 (one ticket, from Maryland)
10. $699.8 million, Powerball, Oct. 4, 2021 (one ticket, from California)
The game's giant prizes come with miniscule chances of actually winning — Taylor overcame odds of roughly 1 in 302.6 million.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.