The Mega Millions jackpot has finally been won after a player in Illinois matched all numbers for the Tuesday drawing, winning a staggering $533 million. This is notably the first Mega Millions jackpot for 2026.
The First Mega Millions Jackpot for 2026 Is Here
After eluding players for more than three months, the Mega Millions jackpot finally landed in Illinois, marking the first grand prize to be won in 2026. Mega Millions noted that this is a rather special occasion, since it is only the second time in the game’s history that the first jackpot won in a given year wasn’t until March. This is also another win for the Prairie State, which has so far seen some 17 people win or share the top prize.
The most recent winner, who has yet to come forward, guessed the winning combination flawlessly. For context, the winning numbers for the Tuesday drawing were 16, 21, 30, 35 and 65, plus the gold Mega Ball 7. The player will now be able to claim either the $533 annuity option or the $244.2 million one-time lump sum option.
Several Other Players Won Big, Too
In addition to the top prize, two separate players won seven-figure sums after matching all numbers but the gold Mega Ball. These included a player in Maryland, who won $4 million thanks to their 4X multiplier, and another lucky Illinois winner who won $5 million due to their 5X multiplier.
Additionally, seven players won prizes ranging from $20,000 to $50,000, depending on their multiplier. Three of them (of Michigan, Texas, and Washington) won $20,000 each, two (of Georgia and Texas) got $30,000 each, a single one (in Nebraska) scooped up $40,000, and a final one (in Illinois) took home $50,000.
In total, there were a total of 415,980 winning tickets at all prize levels, plus the single jackpot-winning ticket, Mega Millions noted.