--- title: The Mega Millions Jackpot Is Now $521 Million. Here's How to Buy Tickets Before Tonight's Drawing description: The Mega Millions jackpot is at $521 million. Here's when the next Mega Millions drawing is, how to buy tickets and how to play. authors: - name: Jamie Ducharme url: https://money.com/author/jamie-ducharme/ at_money_since: 2017 articles: 20 covers: - Personal Finance - Banking - Business - Credit Cards - Economy and Politics - Identity Theft - Investing - Lifestyle - Shopping - Taxes former_staff: true published: '2018-03-30T20:52:34.000Z' modified: '2024-03-18T14:49:10.000Z' section: Personal Finance tags: - Lottery - onetime word_count: 270 canonical: https://money.com/mega-millions-jackpot-drawing/ type: Article source: structured-blocks --- > **Disclosure:** We research all brands listed and may earn a fee from our partners. Research and financial considerations may influence how brands are displayed. Not all brands are included. [Learn more](https://money.com/page/disclaimer/). ![Mega Millions Jackpot Reaches Record High Of $640 Million](https://img.money.com/2018/03/mega-millions1.jpeg) *COVINA, CA - MARCH 30: A woman fills out a Mega Millions lottery ticket in Covina, California.* The Mega Millions jackpot has swelled to $521 million after almost 25 drawings without a big winner. It's just the fourth time in the Mega Millions history that the jackpot has topped $500 million, and it would be the fourth-largest payout of all time. (The largest, won in 2012, was a staggering $656 million.) Want your shot at the impressive prize? Here's everything you need to know about tonight's jackpot drawing including the cut-off time and how to buy tickets. ## When is the next Mega Millions drawing? Mega Millions drawings take place every Tuesday and Friday night. The drawing for the $521 million prize will take place on Friday, March 30, at 11 p.m. E.T. ## How do I win the Mega Millions jackpot? Mega Millions players select six numbers in all: five different numbers from 1 to 70, and one number from 1 to 25. If all six of your selections match the winning number, you take home the jackpot — a feat that you have just a 1 in roughly 303 million chance of achieving, [according to Mega Millions](http://www.megamillions.com/how-to-play). ## How can I buy Mega Millions tickets? Mega Millions tickets cost $2 and are sold at retailers in every U.S. state (plus Washington, D.C.) except Nevada, Utah, Alaska, Mississippi and Alabama. (You can see purchase locations in your state [here](http://www.megamillions.com/where-to-play).) You can also buy tickets online if you live in Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan, North Carolina and North Dakota. Subscriptions are available in New Hampshire, New York and Virginia. 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