Lottery Winners Celebrate Big Wins as Mega Millions Jackpot Hits $825 Million

Recent Powerball and Mega Millions winners highlight the allure of lottery games, with odds stacked heavily against players.

A Michigan man won $200,000 in the Powerball after initially believing his prize was only $1,500, thanks to the Power Play multiplier.
A North Carolina player won $50,000 in the Powerball after matching four white balls and the red Powerball but narrowly missed the $71 million jackpot.
The Mega Millions jackpot has climbed to $825 million, making it the seventh-largest prize in the game's history, with the next draw scheduled for Friday, December 20.
Winners of large jackpots face significant tax withholdings, with lump-sum payouts reduced by federal and state taxes, depending on the winner's location.
Lottery odds remain steep, with the Powerball jackpot odds at 1 in 292.2 million and Mega Millions at 1 in 302.6 million, but the games continue to attract millions of hopeful players.