Mega Millions Jackpot Is Eighth-Largest in History
Wednesday November 5th 2025The Mega Millions jackpot has climbed to an estimated $843 million for Friday night, following a run of 37 drawings without a winner. It is the longest streak without a jackpot payout since the game began in 2002.
It is now also the eighth-highest Mega Millions jackpot in history, behind the seven prizes that have been worth $1 billion or more. The record win belongs to Saltines Holdings, LLC of Florida, who claimed $1.602 billion in August 2023.
After a jackpot roll on Halloween pushed the jackpot up to $800 million, the latest draw on Tuesday November 4 was eagerly awaited by Mega Millions fans across the country. The numbers were 11, 14, 17, 50 and 57, with a Mega Ball of 6.
Nobody won in either of the top two prize categories, but there were 606,046 prizes paid out in total. This marked the 12th successive draw that the overall number of winners has increased, reflecting a rise in participation as the jackpot has grown. Go to the Mega Millions Numbers page for November 4 to see detailed prize payout information.
As more tickets get sold, the jackpot grows more quickly. This will most likely continue to accelerate, especially if the top prize goes beyond $1 billion. It also means that more of the possible winning combinations will be entered into each draw, increasing the chances that someone will match all the numbers.
Breaking the November Curse
There hasn’t actually been a November winner of the Mega Millions jackpot since 2016, when ADirectConnection LLC of Georgia won $83 million. If that ‘curse’ isn’t lifted this month, the jackpot could well be into record territory by the time December dawns.
It had started off as a strong year for jackpot wins, with four players snapping up Mega Millions’ top prize in the first half of 2025. The first two of those wins - in Arizona and Illinois - came before major changes were made to the game in April.
The Ironwood Family Trust of Ohio landed a $112 million jackpot a couple of weeks later, before an anonymous ticket holder from Virginia pocketed $348 million on June 27. That remains the most recent jackpot win.
The changes made in April improved the odds of winning the jackpot slightly, from 1 in 302,575,350 to 1 in 290,472,336. The new-look multiplier has also brought more big payouts in other prize tiers. Instead of the optional Megaplier in the old format, a multiplier is now built-in to every ticket, increasing the value of non-jackpot prizes by up to 10 times.
That means it is now possible to win up to $50 just by matching the Mega Ball on its own, or $10 million if you match all the main numbers but miss the Mega Ball.
Make sure to check the numbers after every draw to see if you’re due a payout. It could be that there’s reason to celebrate even if you fall short of the jackpot. Draws take place every Tuesday and Friday night.
Latest News