Mega Millions lottery jackpot won ... again

Aug 2, 2006, 10:24 am (30 comments)

Mega Millions

For the sixth time in eleven weeks the Mega Millions jackpot was won, this time for $31 million.

The string of winning jackpots is great for those who prefer to spread the wealth, but disappointing for huge jackpot hunters.

Not that $31 million is a small sum of money, but it's not what the inventors of Mega Millions envisioned when they constructed the game with 176 million-to-1 odds of winning.

The other Mega Millions jackpots recently won include:

Lottery officials said the winning ticket from Tuesday night's drawing was sold in the New York City borough of Queens.

In addition to the grand prize winner, two players matched all five numbers but not the Mega Ball number. They will receive second prizes of $250,000 each.

Another 17 players matched four numbers, plus the Mega Ball number, good for third prizes of $10,000 each.

The winning numbers from Tuesday night's drawing were: 14, 29, 32, 43 and 49. The Mega Ball number was 14.

Lottery Post Staff

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Bradly_60's avatarBradly_60

Well New York has been overdue for a jackpot winner.  They haven't had a winner in a couple years I believe.  But still when is this jackpot going to grow to a decent height.  I mean I haven't bought a MM ticket in months now.

Brad

RJOh's avatarRJOh

If those huge jackpot hunters save their money while waiting for a large MM jackpot, they may accumulate a small jackpot of their own.

petergrfn

As much as I would have liked to seen the MegaMillions jackpot reach at least 50-60million this run I'm too busy planning which lawyer and CPA to contact after I win my Powerball jackpot tonight.  Congrats to the lucky winner in Queens,  I hope it was someone who truely needed the money. Mabey one of the people who lost power during the black out hit the jackpot and can beat the heat by buying a nice new air-conditioner (industrial strength of course).  Anyone know how long it's been since MegaMillions had a large (100+ million) jackpot?  Heck of a  dry spell.

starchild_45's avatarstarchild_45

Quote: Originally posted by Bradly_60 on Aug 2, 2006

Well New York has been overdue for a jackpot winner.  They haven't had a winner in a couple years I believe.  But still when is this jackpot going to grow to a decent height.  I mean I haven't bought a MM ticket in months now.

Brad

washington is way over due a winner. we haven't had a winner since we joined and got a 95 million winner. by the way i should be the next winner even if it is 15 million.

lmatlaw

Why do so many players dislike smaller jackpots? I'd love to have the problem of worrying about what to do with a $10 million dollar win. And as the saying goes, you can't win if you don't play.

RJOh's avatarRJOh

Lots of players like playing even when the jackpots are small, if they didn't the jackpots would never get bigger so fast.  The only players complaining are the whiners who claim they seldom play because the jackpot isn't big enough.

JimmySand9

Quote: Originally posted by Bradly_60 on Aug 2, 2006

Well New York has been overdue for a jackpot winner.  They haven't had a winner in a couple years I believe.  But still when is this jackpot going to grow to a decent height.  I mean I haven't bought a MM ticket in months now.

Brad

I hate seeing all these winners, but I definately agree that New York has been overdue for a winner. They have the highest amount of sales of all the states, but they rarely get any winners.

bellyache's avatarbellyache

Quote: Originally posted by lmatlaw on Aug 2, 2006

Why do so many players dislike smaller jackpots? I'd love to have the problem of worrying about what to do with a $10 million dollar win. And as the saying goes, you can't win if you don't play.

I'm also one of those people who likes smaller jackpots or doesn't care what the size is. I would love to win $10 million dollars. And I play whether it's $15 million or $200 million.

anem1e

Illinois is also over due for a winner.  We haven't had a winner in almost 4 years (2002).  Last time we had a winner was 9/02.  Washington's last winner was 11/02.

hjones

I know it's certainly the luck of the draw and I know the odds of winning this lottery game is one in 175Million or so, but doesn't it seem a little bizzare that in the last 11 weeks, there have been 6 winners?

 

.... Just a little bizzare?

dvdiva's avatardvdiva

Quote: Originally posted by RJOh on Aug 2, 2006

Lots of players like playing even when the jackpots are small, if they didn't the jackpots would never get bigger so fast.  The only players complaining are the whiners who claim they seldom play because the jackpot isn't big enough.

Ouch, now I'm a whiner Razz

Well just take off that "h" and add an "n" and I'm set. 

The problem isn't that the jackpot is won at a low level or that 12 million isn't a large amount of money. If the WA state lotto hit 12 million I would get tickets right away. The odds on winning lotto are only 1:7 million though. For a game with the highest odds of any game created, the jackpots are pretty low and seem to be staying that way.

Only time will tell if this is a strange slump or the future of Megamillions. I am not expecting any timely fix from the people running Megamillions. Until then I can play Powerball and the Canadian 6/49 game. If Powerball rolls to around $250 or the Canadian game can come close to $30 million then I'd get tickets. For me it's all about odds vs. prize. 

rdc137

If someone wins $31 million and complains that it's not enough money, then I'll be happy to take that little burden off their hands. I'll even give them the $1 for the money they wasted on the ticket, just because I'm such a nice guy. Big Smile

tg636

It doesn't bother me at all to have small jackpots won more frequently - I wish I could win even the smallest possible jackpot -  but it does seem to in strange defying of the odds. I would think eventually there has to be a stretch without a winner that would take it to $400+ million.  And who knows, the next drawing could be the start of it. 

The difference between MegaMillions and most state games is that even the lowest amount of $12 million will make you set for life (if you aren't an idiot).  That's why the jackpot amount doesn't get me that excited, unlike a game that starts at $400,000 and builds, where I would want to hit in the $5-6 million range and not "blow" my win on an amount that wouldn't leave me set for life. But there is no jackpot that is too low in MegaMillions. 

justxploring's avatarjustxploring

  But there is no jackpot that is too low in MegaMillions. 

 

I agree. I always chuckle when I see the word "small" when referring to an amount of money like $30 million.  Even if 3 people split it, it would be a great paycheck!

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