Mega Millions Jackpot Climbs to $505 Million
The Friday drawing offers an estimated $213.3 million cash value before taxes after no ticket matched all six numbers Tuesday.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Gambling
No ticket matched all six Mega Millions numbers in Tuesday's drawing, pushing the jackpot to $505 million for the Friday night drawing at 11 p.m. ET. The estimated cash value of the prize is $213.3 million before taxes.
Why it matters
The jackpot's growth reflects the continued rollover of unclaimed prizes, which drives larger headline prizes and increased ticket sales for U.S. lottery players. Readers weighing participation can see both the advertised figure and the lower cash alternative before deciding.
The advertised $505 million jackpot compares with a $213.3 million cash value before taxes, a gap that reflects the lump-sum option's reduced payout. The source does not indicate how many tickets have been sold for Friday's drawing.
The players
Mega Millions
A multistate lottery game offering large jackpots drawn several times a week across participating U.S. jurisdictions.
Powerball
A multistate lottery game known for its large jackpots, with a separate drawing schedule from Mega Millions.
The details
The jackpot rolled over after Tuesday's drawing, when the winning numbers 4, 24, 31, 62 and 70 with Mega Ball 3 went unmatched. Separately, a single New Jersey ticket won the $847 million Powerball jackpot Wednesday night, and the Powerball prize has reset to $20 million for Saturday's drawing.
Timeline
Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026: Mega Millions drawing produced no six-number match.
Wednesday night: A New Jersey ticket won the Powerball jackpot.
Friday, Nov. 6, 2026, 11 p.m. ET: Mega Millions $505 million drawing.
Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026: Powerball $20 million drawing.
Legal Context
Multistate jackpots such as Mega Millions and Powerball grow through rollovers when no ticket matches all numbers, a structure that has produced repeated record-scale prizes across the United States. The current drawings follow that established pattern of accumulating unclaimed prize money.
Players can buy Mega Millions tickets for the Friday 11 p.m. ET drawing, and the advertised jackpot reflects a lump-sum choice that pays out $213.3 million before taxes. Anyone planning to play should compare that cash value with the headline figure before buying.
The takeaway
Before buying tickets, compare the headline jackpot with its lower cash value before taxes, since the lump-sum payout is what most winners actually receive. Keep the drawing times in mind so you do not miss a deadline.
What happens next
The Mega Millions drawing takes place Friday, Nov. 6, 2026, at 11 p.m. ET, and the Powerball drawing follows on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026.
Further reading
Explore more on Gambling for context on how jackpots and odds work.
Source note: This article includes information reported by WPEC.
