Christmas may come early this year, if you're lucky.
An $862 million Mega Millions jackpot is up for grabs Friday night, giving a lucky player the chance to stuff tons of stockings this holiday season.
Here are the winning numbers for Friday's drawing: 2, 20, 51, 56, 67 and a MegaBall of 19. The Megaplier was 2X.
A few hours after the winning numbers were announced, it was revealed that there was no big winner Friday night. The estimated jackpot for Tuesday's drawing is $944 million with a cash option of $29.4 million.
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After more than three months without a big winner, the prize ha ballooned to the seventh-largest prize in Mega Millions. The winner could opt for a $382.2 million cash option, which would be a one-time payment in lieu of receiving the full amount over 30 years.
Despite the lottery being a sweepstakes run by the government, the prize is still subject to taxes, which include an automatic withholding tax of 24% levied against the winnings, and another 13% in federal taxes when you file your 2024 return.
There are also state taxes in some jurisdictions, which range from 2.9% to 10.9% depending on the state you live in. But if you're lucky enough to live in California, Florida, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington or Wyoming, you won't pay income in your winnings.
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If you or someone you know has a gambling addiction, please call the National Council on Problem Gambling at 1-800-522-4700 to speak to a counselor. Help is also available via an online peer support forum at www.gamtalk.org, and additional resources can be found at NCPG website.
