Updated
Updated · KFDM-TV News · Jul 17
Texas Lottery Players Eye $1.19 Billion Weekend Jackpots as Mega Millions Reaches $672 Million
Updated
Updated · KFDM-TV News · Jul 17

Texas Lottery Players Eye $1.19 Billion Weekend Jackpots as Mega Millions Reaches $672 Million

3 articles · Updated · KFDM-TV News · Jul 17

Summary

  • $1.19 billion in combined jackpots is up for grabs in Texas this weekend, with Mega Millions at $672 million on Friday and Powerball at $526 million on Saturday.
  • 35 straight Mega Millions drawings and 33 Powerball drawings without a jackpot winner drove the prizes higher; the cash options stand at about $293.3 million and $233.5 million.
  • $672 million ranks as the 10th-largest Mega Millions jackpot ever and the biggest since a $983 million prize was won in Georgia in November 2025.
  • Texas has produced 15 Mega Millions jackpot winners since 2003 and four Powerball winners since joining that game in 2010, including two in the past year.
  • More than 19,000 Texas retailers sell the tickets, and lottery proceeds have generated over $43 billion for the state since 1992, largely supporting public schools and veterans programs.

Insights

Why do players buy tickets when jackpots hit a billion, despite the odds of winning remaining virtually impossible?
What percentage of the Texas education budget is actually funded by the lottery, and is this revenue stream stable?
Can investing the lump sum jackpot ultimately yield more money than taking the 30-year annuity payments?