The Mega Millions jackpot currently sits at $1.05 billion, one of the largest multi-state lottery jackpots in history.
Colorado players can get in on the action for Tuesday’s (Aug. 1) drawing by picking their own numbers or purchasing quick-pick tickets.
Here’s everything you need to know to possibly become a billionaire.
How Mega Millions drawings work
In The Centennial State, players can enter the Mega Millions drawing at a participating retail location or via the Jackpocket CO online app.
Mega Millions drawings happen twice weekly: Tuesdays and Fridays at 9 p.m. MT. To play Mega Millions, you purchase a ticket and select six numbers:
- Five white ball numbers between 1 and 70
- One gold Mega ball number between 1 and 25
Matching all six numbers in a drawing wins you the jackpot. Whenever a drawing comes and goes without a winner, the jackpot rises. The Aug. 1 drawing is for a whopping $1.05 billion.
Tickets cost $2 each. You can add a Megaplier for an extra $1 per ticket. Megaplier multiplies non-jackpot wins based on a multiplier ball drawn at the same time as the other winning numbers.
How to pick Mega Millions numbers in Colorado
To pick your numbers online, you’ll need to sign up for the Jackpocket app or desktop site. This third-party platform allows Colorodans to purchase tickets for Mega Millions, Powerball, and other games from the comfort of their home. Players at Jackpocket need to be 18 or older (the state’s minimum age for lottery players) and have an internet or mobile connection.
Do you prefer the pen-and-paper method? Colorado has hundreds of retail locations where you can purchase Mega Millions entries. Gas stations and grocery stores are common locations. To play Mega Millions at a retail location, ask the cashier for a play slip and fill it out. Return the slip and the cashier will print out your ticket.
From there, all that’s left is to watch the drawing and hope for a win!
Our main tip for picking Mega Millions numbers in Colorado is simple: Don’t overthink it. Some players like to use birthdays, anniversaries, or important dates. These are fun approaches, but remember the numbers go all the way up to 70. Rolling dice can be a fun random method. Or text five friends and ask each one to pick a number between 1 and 70.
There are limitless ways to pick your numbers.
Mega Millions’ billion-dollar jackpot is history in the making
It’s been a long run without a Mega Millions winner, bringing the current jackpot into record-breaking territory. If a lucky player wins the jackpot tomorrow, they’ll be tied for the fourth biggest Mega Millions win ever.
The highest prize awarded to a Mega Millions winner was a $1.537 billion jackpot in October 2018. A South Carolina player brought home the prize. Other top prizes include a $1.348 billion jackpot in January 2023, $1.337 billion in July 2022, and a $1.050 billion prize in January 2021.
If tomorrow’s drawing yields no winner, the prize will rise again.
