Near-record Megabucks drawing has Massachusetts residents $earching for good luck

Feeling down on your luck as you returned to work on a beautiful summery day after a miserable Memorial Day Weekend?

It could be time to chance your luck to win big.

Wednesday’s drawing will be the third-largest ever in Megabucks history, at an estimated $18.85 million, the game’s largest jackpot since 1986.

But a word of caution: A Megabucks ticket has not hit a jackpot in over a year. The last winning came on April 21, 2025, with a $1.97 million jackpot on a ticket sold in Hyde Park.

“The game was redesigned in 2023 to bring more value to players,” the Massachusetts State Lottery said Tuesday, “including better odds of winning, higher average jackpots, bigger payouts for all non-jackpot prizes, as well as the addition of a third weekly drawing.”

“In conjunction with these changes, the game returned to its original name, Megabucks,” the lottery added. “The game first launched in 1982.”

The cash option for Wednesday’s drawing is a nifty $12.62  million.

Before the game returned to its original name, a ticket sold in Ware on Sept. 10, 2022, hit on a $16.35 million jackpot, the largest winnings on a single ticket in Megabucks history.

Those looking to score big can purchase Megabucks tickets for $2 each at over 7,500 authorized Massachusetts State Lottery retailers – convenience stores, gas stations, and supermarkets across the Bay State.

Tickets can be bought until 9 p.m. Drawings are held every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.