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Mega Millions jackpot nears half a billion for tonight’s drawing

September 30, 2025 Posted by NC Lottery at 11:34 AM
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Mega Millions players in North Carolina can have fun tonight playing for a jackpot worth almost half a billion dollars.

A winner on Tuesday would have the choice of taking home the $497 million jackpot as an annuity or $229.5 million in cash.

Even though the jackpot remains up for grabs, players are taking home lots of other prizes playing Mega Millions. Friday’s drawing produced more than 8,900 winning tickets in North Carolina.

The odds of winning a Mega Millions jackpot are 1 in 290 million.

Anyone buying a Mega Millions ticket for Tuesday’s drawing will also get a second chance to win a prize with that ticket. The lottery’s Mega 2nd Chance drawing, scheduled for Oct. 8, offers a top prize of $100,000, five prizes of $10,000, and 35 prizes of $2,500. To enter, use your Mega Millions ticket purchased at a store or online using the lottery’s website at nclottery.com or the NC Lottery Official Mobile App. The deadline for entries is tonight at 11:59 p.m.

Players can buy Mega Millions tickets at any lottery retail location or through Online Play on the lottery’s website, www.nclottery.com, or with the NC Lottery Official Mobile App.

The N.C. Education Lottery’s Play Smart™ program helps North Carolinians make the most of their lottery play. Visit ncplaysmart.com to learn about all things lottery, from tips on how odds work to how to enter bonus drawings.


3 COMMENTS

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10/01/2025 04:00 - Brian T.

Again, minimal predetermined multipliers on Mega Millions draw tickets that cost more than twice as much for a game that's rigged. Yaw is dirty! No matter how much good you do, the money was ill gotten from the public.

9/30/2025 06:43 - Denver G.

Dang MB, I thought you knew. My son been making the same mistake!! Bottom line short and sweet. You buy 1 $5 tic get 1 entry. Buy 1 $25 tic still only get 1 entry. Buy 5 $5 tics get 5 entries. Same with advance game. my son buys online mutiple draws in advance and only gets 1 entry. I told him do like me. 1 tic on tue and 1 tic on friday. I got 4 entries in 2 weeks , his way he only got 1 entry in 2 weeks.

9/30/2025 02:00 - Michael B.

Hey NcEl! I purchased a $50 and $25 ticket for tonights drawing. When I submit it do I get multiple entries since or just single one ?NC Lottery
Hi, Michael! You should receive one entry per ticket purchased. If you buy your tickets through Online Play, you'll automatically earn second chance entries for those tickets. Good luck!

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