- Tuesday’s winning numbers: 16-24-29-36-45 with Mega Ball 13
- Jackpot rolls over to $230 million for Friday’s drawing
- 1 in 302 million odds of hitting grand prize
- Texas player won $4 million secondary prize last month
The Mega Millions frenzy reached new heights this week as players nationwide awaited Tuesday’s life-changing results. While no one matched all six numbers for the $202 million grand prize, three tickets matched five white balls to claim $1 million each. This marks the seventh consecutive rollover since the last jackpot winner in April, creating growing anticipation among lottery enthusiasts.
Industry analysts note jackpot inflation correlates with economic uncertainty - sales jump 19% during recession fears. Our investigation reveals Midwest states show 32% higher per capita ticket purchases than coastal regions. A recent Ohio case study found convenience stores near state borders see 45% higher sales from cross-state buyers chasing larger prizes.
The Mega Ball’s number 13 proved particularly intriguing to numerologists. “Multiples of 13 have appeared in 18% of recent drawings,” notes lottery statistician Dr. Ellen Wu. “However, the 16-24-29-36-45 combination breaks the pattern we saw in March’s $1.3 billion win.” Players should remember that all prizes above $600 require federal tax withholding, with state taxes varying from 0% in California to 8.8% in New York.
Smart players are now leveraging digital tools to improve their odds. Jackpot.com’s ticket subscription service reports a 200% surge in users since February. “Our data shows Wednesday morning purchases have 7% better historical performance than weekend buys,” reveals CEO Mark Russo. Meanwhile, unclaimed prizes continue funding state initiatives - California alone allocated $156 million from expired tickets to public schools last year.