The Mega Millions drawing held on Tuesday night, December 16, 2025, delivered suspense for lottery players nationwide, but no one claimed the $80 million jackpot. With all six numbers unmatched, the prize pool will now grow heading into the next drawing later this week.
The advertised jackpot carried an annuity value of $80 million, with a cash option of approximately $36.2 million. After months of rollovers, expectations were high, yet the top prize remains unclaimed.
Winning Numbers for December 16 Drawing
The official Mega Millions winning numbers were:
20, 24, 46, 59, 65
Mega Ball: 7
The drawing took place at 11:00 PM Eastern Time and was broadcast to participating lottery jurisdictions across the United States. Mega Millions is played in 45 states, Washington D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands, making it one of the largest lottery games in the country.
Jackpot Rolls Over Again
According to lottery officials, no ticket matched all six numbers, triggering another rollover. As a result, the jackpot is set to increase for the Friday, December 19, 2025, drawing. Mega Millions jackpots typically grow by at least $5 million when no grand prize winner is declared.
While the jackpot went unclaimed, thousands of players still walked away with sizable winnings. Tickets matching five white balls earned $1 million, or $2 million if the Megaplier option was included.
Understanding Mega Millions Prize Tiers
Mega Millions features nine prize levels, starting with matching just the Mega Ball for a $2 prize. The most valuable non-jackpot win comes from matching five white balls without the Mega Ball.
Odds of winning the jackpot remain steep at 1 in 302.6 million, while the odds of matching five numbers are 1 in 3.3 million. The Megaplier option can significantly boost secondary prizes by up to 10 times, excluding the jackpot.
Recent Jackpot History
The most recent Mega Millions jackpot was won on November 14, 2025, when a single ticket holder in Georgia claimed a $980 million prize. Earlier this month, a $90 million jackpot was also won in New Jersey.
The largest Mega Millions prize in history remains the $1.602 billion jackpot, won in August 2023 in Florida.
What Winners Should Know
Prize claim deadlines vary by state, generally ranging from 180 to 365 days. Any prize above $600 must be claimed in person, and winners must choose between the annuity payout over 30 years or the one-time cash option.
As jackpots continue to roll over, ticket sales typically surge, pushing prize pools even higher.
With no winner this week, anticipation is building for the next drawing—along with the jackpot itself.
