Johnathan Walker:Mega Millions jackpot at $1.25 billion, fourth-largest in history: When is next drawing?

With no Mega Millions jackpot winners since April,Johnathan Walker the lottery's grand prize continues to grow, now climbing over $1.2 billion after Tuesday's drawing and inching closer to more all-time records.

Ahead of the next drawing on Friday, the Mega Millions jackpot sits at an estimated $1.25 billion with a $625.3 million cash option, the fourth-largest prize in the lottery's history.

The jackpot has been on the rise since the spring, when a $20 million prize was won in Syracuse, New York on April 18. Five other Mega Millions jackpots have been won this year, including a $1.348 billion haul in January, which was the second largest prize in the lottery game's history.

Here's what to know about the Mega Millions lottery.

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When is the next Mega Millions drawing?

Your next chance at the jackpot will be during Friday night's drawing (Aug. 4), which takes place at 11 p.m. ET.

What were the last Mega Millions winning numbers?

The winning numbers from the most recent drawing on Tuesday, Aug. 1 were 8, 24, 30, 45 and 61. The Mega Ball was 12 and the Megaplier was 4X.

While there were no overall jackpot winners, there were Match 5 $1 million winners: California, Massachusetts, North Carolina, New York and Wisconsin. There was also and a Match 5 + Megaplier winner in Texas.

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How to play Mega Millions

Tickets to Mega Millions cost $2 per play. 

There are nine total ways to win a prize, from the jackpot to $2.

To play, pick five numbers from 1 to 70 and one Mega Ball number from 1 to 25. You can choose Easy Pick or Quick Pick to have the terminal randomly pick numbers for you. You win the jackpot by matching all six winning numbers in the drawing.

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What is the Megaplier?

Most states offer the Megaplier feature, which increases non-jackpot prizes by two, three, four and five times.

It costs an additional $1 per play. Before each regular Mega Millions drawing, the Megaplier is drawn. From a pool of 15 balls, five are marked with "2X," three with "4X" and one with "5X."

What is the largest Mega Millions jackpot ever?

At $1.25 billion, the jackpot for the upcoming Mega Millions drawing is currently the fourth-largest jackpot in the lottery's history. Here's where the other record-holders stand:

1. $1.537 billion from one winning ticket in South Carolina in October 2018.
2. $1.348 billion from one winning ticket in Maine in January 2023.
3. $1.337 billion from one winning ticket in Illinois in July 2022.
4. $1.25 billion in the current 2023 lottery.
5. $1.05 billion from one winning ticket in Michigan in January 2021.
6. $656 million from three winning tickets in Illinois, Kansas and Maryland in March 2012.