New Jersey residents eagerly anticipated the Mega Millions drawing for Tuesday night, but they were met with frustration as technical difficulties caused over an hour-long delay before the winning numbers were finally revealed. The jackpot for the night was estimated at $148 million, with a cash option of $66.1 million up for grabs. A lucky lottery player from New Jersey had previously won a staggering $1.128 billion on March 26, marking one of the largest Mega Millions jackpots ever won.
As players awaited the Mega Millions results, excitement also built for the upcoming Powerball drawing on Wednesday, which boasted a jackpot of $78 million with a cash option of $36.5 million. For those eager to try their luck, the opportunity to purchase lottery tickets in-person at various locations or online through platforms like Jackpocket presented itself.
The drawn Mega Millions numbers for Tuesday, April 16, 2024, were 21, 26, 36, 44, 59, with the Megaball number being 2 and the Megaplier at 4x. Despite the delayed live drawing, the winning numbers were eventually posted on the Mega Millions website just before 12:30 a.m.
For those looking to enhance their chances of winning, strategies and tips on selecting numbers and playing the lottery were widely sought after. The odds of winning the Mega Millions jackpot stood at 302,575,350-to-1, while the odds of matching all five white balls were 12,607,306-to-1.
Players across 45 states, along with the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands, eagerly participated in the Mega Millions, with few states like Alabama, Alaska, Hawaii, Nevada, and Utah not offering the game. The accessibility and availability of lottery tickets made it convenient for individuals to try their luck at potentially walking away with a life-changing jackpot.
As anticipation grew for the next Mega Millions drawing, scheduled every Tuesday and Friday at 11 p.m., players pondered whether this could be their lucky day to match the winning numbers. With an array of past record-breaking jackpots from both Mega Millions and Powerball, the allure of striking it rich through the lottery continued to captivate players nationwide.