The last time the multi-state lottery game Mega Millions held a drawing on a Friday night the jackpot was over $1.2 billion. All across Texas from Brownsville to Amarillo and Orange to El Paso Texas Lottery players were dreaming of big riches. We did have eleven $10,000 winners in that drawing.

Five of those winners opted for the Megaplier so they earned $30,000 in that drawing. And a ticket sold at a 7-Eleven in Arlington, Texas actually won $1 million just one week ago. But alas, the big-money billion-dollar jackpot went to a ticket sold in California.

Nathan Dumlao via Unsplash.com
Nathan Dumlao via Unsplash.com
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Such is the life of a lottery player and we Lotologists who follow the frenzy are well aware of the ebbs and flows of the jackpot chasing culture.  Mega Millions held its first Friday night drawing of 2025 last night and no, the frenzy was not the same as the previous Friday's drawing.

The jackpot for last night's drawing was estimated to be $42 million at the time the balls dropped. The game had held a previous drawing on Tuesday for a $20 million jackpot following last Friday's big win. And in just a matter of days the top prize had more than doubled.

Texas Lottery Logo
Texas Lottery via YouTube
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Here is how the Mega Millions drawing for Friday, January 3, 2025, went down.

Our sources at Mega Millions did confirm that no ticket sold across the game's footprint matched the numbers needed to claim the jackpot prize on Friday. There were also no Match 5 Million winners.

Our Mega Millions insider also confirmed that the largest single prize earned in Friday's drawing was $40,000 and only four tickets sold for the game earned that prize. There were another eight tickets that earned a prize of $10,000.

Mega Millions Jackpot Nearly 1 Billion Dollars
Scott Olson/Getty Images
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The numbers that we saw rolling out of the hopper last night were:

20   42   46   59   69   Mega Ball 19   Megaplier x4

If it looks as if you're holding a winner, you'll need to verify that ticket and those numbers at the Official Mega Millions website or the official Texas Lottery website. Those are the sites of record. They can also confirm your winnings and explain how to claim your prize.

None of the $10,000 winners or the $40,000 winners were purchased in Texas. The largest prize confirmed by the Texas Lottery for Mega Millions last night was $2,000. Thirteen tickets earned that prize. Another seventeen tickets earned a prize of $800. All in all, it was not a lucrative night for Texas Lottery fans. Especially when compared to the big wins of one week ago.

USA Mega via YouTube
USA Mega via YouTube
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Saturday brings a host of money-winning opportunities. The Powerball game will draw tonight (Saturday, January 4, 2025). The top prize in that multi-state lottery game is $200 million.

Lotto Texas with Extra! continues to grow its jackpot too. The Texas-based game now boasts a top prize of $62 million (estimated) for Saturday's drawing. The game has not produced a jackpot winner since a ticket sold in Austin, Texas claimed the top prize of $29 million back in June.

Texas Lottery via YouTube
Texas Lottery via YouTube
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Lotto Texas with Extra! is overdue to make a big winner. That is my opinion. Granted the largest prize the game ever produced was $145 million about a decade ago, most jackpots in Lotto Texas with Extra! find a winner long before that amount or even the $62 million that's up for grabs tonight.

Please remember that lottery games involve the risk of losing money. Most people who play the games wind up losing their cash. So, play responsibly. If you have a gambling problem help is available. Call 1-800-GAMBLER. The call is free. The advice is free. The assistance is priceless. Good Luck.

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