The Mega Millions jackpot for Tuesday’s drawing is an estimated $277 million, with a cash option of $120.4 million, after the game went another round without a top prize. The next drawing is set for 11 p.m. ET on Tuesday, May 19, and tickets cost $5 apiece.
The jackpot was last won on March 17, when a player in Ohio hit $60 million. Since then, the prize has grown again, keeping the game in the kind of range that draws occasional national attention and regular-ticket traffic at gas stations, convenience stores and grocery stores. Some airport terminals may also sell tickets, and players in participating states can also order online through Jackpocket in places including New York, New Jersey and Ohio.
Mega Millions changed its format on April 8, 2025, but the basic draw remains the same: players pick five numbers from 1 to 70 and one Mega Ball number from 1 to 24, or let the machine generate a Quick Pick. A ticket can win at least $10 for matching only the Mega Ball, and matching all five white balls can pay a minimum of $2 million outside California. The game also includes a multiplier that can raise some non-jackpot prizes by as much as 10 times.
Those details matter because the game is now offered in 45 states plus the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands, with Alabama, Alaska, Hawaii, Nevada and Utah still out. Drawings are held every Tuesday and Friday at 11 p.m. ET, which means the next reset comes quickly if no one hits the top prize on Tuesday night.
For players, the question is not whether Mega Millions keeps climbing; it is whether this run ends with a winner before the jackpot pushes even higher. The last Ohio win on March 17 reset the clock, and Tuesday’s drawing is the next chance to stop it again.
