Mega Millions Winning Numbers Tonight 2023: $1.35B to Win Friday the 13th

NEW YORK (WABC) — The numbers for an estimated $1.35 billion Mega Millions jackpot were drawn, and now all hopeful players can do is wait for word of a possible winner.

The numbers drawn late Friday night were: 30, 43, 45, 46, 61 and gold Mega Ball 14.

The jackpot is the second largest in Mega Millions history!

The chance of winning a Mega Millions draw is slim at almost one in 303 million.

Don’t be discouraged by these odds. Friday the 13th is the day many play and win. So far, six people have won the Friday the 1[ads1]3th lottery.

Michigan has been particularly lucky with Friday the 13th Mega Millions jackpots, winning four of them (June 2008, May 2011, June 2014 and October 2017). That 2017 jackpot was shared with a winner in Rhode Island. Other Friday the 13th jackpots have been won in New York (March 2009) and Ohio (November 2015). However, none of them came close to the estimated $1.35 billion up for grabs.

Although no one made it out of Tuesday night’s drawing a billionaire, three people won $3 million, including someone in New York and another in Connecticut.

People in New York and New Jersey also had $1 million worth of tickets.

The last time someone won the top prize was October 14. Since then, there have been 25 straight draws without anyone taking the jackpot.

“So you’re 1,363 times more likely to be struck by lightning than to win the lottery,” said Professor Bruce Torff.

Torff said you’re also 27,000 times more likely to die in a plane crash or 1,210 times more likely to die from being hit by a meteorite than winning the lottery.

Here’s a look at the 10 biggest US jackpots won and the states where the winning tickets were sold:

1. $2.04 billion, Powerball, November 8, 2022 (one ticket, from California)

2. $1.586 billion, Powerball, January 13, 2016 (three tickets, from California, Florida, Tennessee)

3. $1.537 billion, Mega Millions, October 23, 2018 (one ticket, from South Carolina)

4. $1.337 billion, Mega Millions, July 29, 2022 (one ticket, from Illinois)

5. $1.05 billion, Mega Millions, January 22, 2021 (one ticket, from Michigan)

6. $768.4 million, Powerball, March 27, 2019 (one ticket, from Wisconsin)

7. $758.7 million, Powerball, August 23, 2017 (one ticket, from Massachusetts)

8. $731.1 million, Powerball, January 20, 2021 (one ticket, from Maryland)

9. $699.8 million, Powerball, October 4, 2021 (one ticket, from California)

10. $687.8 million, Powerball, October 27, 2018 (two tickets, from Iowa and New York)

RELATED: Here’s What You Can Buy If You Win

The credit for the latest big prizes is actually due to math — and more difficult odds.

In the fall of 2017, lottery officials approved changes to Mega Millions that significantly extended the odds from one in 258.9 million to one in 302.6 million. They made similar changes to the Powerball in October 2015, worsening the odds from one in 175.2 million to one in 292.2 million.

The idea was that by making jackpots less common, ticket revenue could build week after week, creating giant prizes that would attract attention and draw in more players who had grown blasé around $100 million or $200 million top prizes.

In August 2021, Powerball also added a third weekly drawing, which allowed the jackpot to roll over and grow even faster as people had more chances to play and lose. Mega Millions has stuck to the two weekly drawings.

Thanks to these moves, nine of the top 10 lottery prizes have been won since 2017.

Mega Millions is played in 45 states as well as Washington, DC and the US Virgin Islands.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

WATCH: New York state lottery draws live daily at 14.30 and 22.30 and Wednesdays and Saturdays at 20.15

Powerball drawings are also streamed here on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday at 22:59

Mega millions drawings are streamed Tuesday and Friday at 11 p.m

The New York Lottery is North America’s largest and most profitable, contributing billions of dollars to support education in New York State.

Revenue is distributed to local school districts according to the same statutory formula used to distribute other state aid for education. According to the New York Lottery, the formula takes into account both the size of a school district and the level of income; larger, lower-income school districts receive proportionally larger shares of lottery school funding.

For more information about the New York Lottery and to view lottery results, please visit nylottery.ny.gov..

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.

———-

* Get eyewitness news delivered

* Follow us on YouTube

* More local news

* Send us a news tip

* Download the abc7NY app for breaking news alerts

Submit a tip or story idea to Eyewitness News

Do you have a news tip or an idea for a story we should cover? Send it to Eyewitness News using the form below. If you attach a video or photo, the terms of use apply.