Mega Millions drawing :Jackpot soars to $1.55 billion

Jackpot soars to $1.55 billion

There have been 31 straight drawings since the last time someone won the game's jackpot in April.

The jackpot is so hard to win because of the 1-in-302.6 million odds of matching the numbers on five white balls and a separate mega ball. The odds are better to win smaller prizes, which start at $2.

In the August 4 drawing, there were 5,331,114 winning tickets at all prize levels. Nine tickets matched the five white balls to win the game's second-tier prize. Two are worth $2 million each because they included the optional Megaplier (available in most states with an extra $1 purchase), which was 2X for this drawing; they were sold in Michigan and Tennessee.

Another Match 5-winning ticket was sold in Tennessee for the standard $1 million second-tier prize. Six other tickets also win $1 million, one each in Louisiana, Missouri, Nebraska, New York, Oklahoma and Texas.

You can watch the Mega Millions drawings on abc7NY.com/lottery on Tuesday and Friday nights at 10:59.

Here is a look at the 10 largest U.S. jackpots that have been won and the states where the winning tickets were sold:

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, and 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. $774.6 million, Powerball, Feb. 6, 2023 (one ticket, from Washington state)
10. $731.1 million, Powerball, Jan. 20, 2021 (one ticket, from Maryland)

New Yorkers struggling with a gambling addiction, or who know someone who is, can find help by calling the State's toll-free, confidential HOPEline at 1-877-8-HOPENY (1-877-846-7369) or by texting HOPENY (467369). Standard text rates may apply.