Mega Millions Jackpot Surges to $500M: Winning Numbers & Deadline Tonight

Mega Millions drawing delayed: $163 million jackpot still up for grabs The highly anticipated Mega Millions drawing scheduled for 11 p.m. ET on Tuesday, April 28, was abruptly halted when officials cited “technical difficulties.” A message on the broadcast assured viewers the drawing would resume once the malfunction was fixed and an independent auditor was present. The pause leaves a $163 million jackpot (cash option $72.9 million) temporarily in limbo, ratcheting up excitement for players nationwide. What happens next? • Mega Millions says the drawing will continue as soon as the equipment issue is resolved, and the winning numbers will be posted immediately on the game’s official site and social channels. • If no ticket matches all six numbers, Friday night’s drawing (May 1) will push the jackpot even higher. Why this pot is different • It’s the biggest Mega Millions prize since an Ohio ticket hit for $60 million on March 17. • Rule changes rolled out on April 8, 2025 raised the ticket price to $5 and shrank the Mega Ball field to 24, increasing non-jackpot prizes up to 10× with the built-in Multiplier. How to play before sales close 1. Pick five white-ball numbers (1 – 70) plus one gold Mega Ball (1 – 24), or choose Quick Pick. 2. Buy tickets in 45 states, D.C. and the U.S. Virgin Islands; sales cut off 15–60 minutes before the drawing, depending on local rules. 3. Online courier apps such as Jackpocket accept orders earlier in the evening; check your state’s deadline. Prize tiers and odds • Match just the Mega Ball to win $10. • Hit all five white balls without the Mega Ball to score at least $2 million. • The odds of landing the jackpot remain steep at 1 in 302.6 million, but every ticket also enters nine lower prize tiers. Record watch With five billion-dollar Mega Millions jackpots claimed since 2023, tonight’s $163 million purse may look modest—but rapid rollovers can send the prize soaring. The game’s all-time record stands at $1.602 billion, won in Florida on Aug. 8, 2023. Bottom line Keep your ticket handy: once officials resolve the glitch, winning numbers will drop fast, and someone could wake up an instant multimillionaire. Check megamillions.com or the official app for the final results, and don’t forget to sign the back of your ticket as soon as you buy it.