Mega Millions Winning Numbers May 19: $173 Mil Jackpot Creates Lottery Frenzy
Do you have the Mega Millions winning numbers for May 19? Odds are slim that anyone will win the $173 million jackpot on Tuesday night, but if you do, consider yourself extremely lucky.
Odds of winning tonight’s grand prize are approximately 1 in 258 million – that means you have a better chance of being attacked by a shark (1 in 12 million), than winning the Mega Millions lottery jackpot. However, if you have $1 to spare, it may be worth trying to beat the odds and dream of your new life as a multi-millionaire.
Update: The winning Mega Millions numbers for May 19 are: 10, 12, 21, 29, 65 MegaBall 10
Watch the Mega Millions jackpot drawing live online at 11 p.m. ET on your iPhone or Android smartphone using the free LotteryHUB app. The winning numbers will also be posted here once the numbers are drawn, or you can watch a replay of tonight’s drawing on YouTube.
Tuesday night’s jackpot isn’t the biggest one on record, but it’s still a hefty amount of money. According to CBS, the top five Mega Millions jackpot prizes were given away in 2012 and 2013, with the largest grand prize in the history of the game ($656 million) split between three winners on March 30, 2012.
- March 30, 2012 – $656 million (three winners)
- December 17, 2013 – $648 million (two winners)
- March 18, 2014 – $414 million (two winners)
- March 6, 2007 – $390 million (two winners)
- January 4, 2011 – $380 million (two winners)
If one person matches all six numbers drawn on May 19, they will have to choose between a one-time lump sum payment, or a 30-year annuity.
The actual amount a winner receives varies by state – 25 percent is taken out right away for federal taxes, and if lottery winnings are subject to state tax where you live, then the amount of your lump-sum payment will be reduced by the percentage set by your state.
According to USA Mega, the cash value of tonight’s Mega Millions jackpot is $106 million. After federal taxes, and before state tax is applied, the winner would take home approximately $79.5 million. Not a bad return on investment for a $1 ticket.
Winners who choose the annuity will get 30 yearly payments of approximately $4.3 million each, but the amount will increase by five percent per year to cover cost of living increases. According to the official Mega Millions website, payments were previously made in equal installments, but the decision to add in a yearly increase was created to “help protect winners’ lifestyle and purchasing power.”
Mega Millions tickets are sold at lottery retailers in 44 states, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Tickets cost $1 each, with an additional $1 charged for the Megaplier option.
[Image: Getty Images]
