Mega Millions jackpot grows, generating $9.7 million for Georgia students

Powerball and Mega Millions lottery jackpot numbers loom over I-20 East on a billboard near downtown Atlanta on July 27, 2023. (Credit: Jill Jordan Sieder)

Powerball and Mega Millions lottery jackpot numbers loom over I-20 East on a billboard near downtown Atlanta on July 27, 2023. (Credit: Jill Jordan Sieder)

May 30, 2024

There may not have been an individual big winner for Georgia’s Mega Millions jackpot Tuesday night, but every time the jackpot turns over, Georgia’s education system still comes out victorious.

The jackpot, which began anew March 29, has generated $9.7 million for the HOPE Scholarship Program. The funds raised by the lottery have also gone toward other educational initiatives, such as Georgia’s pre-K program. 

The HOPE Scholarship has helped more than 2.1 million students attend college and over 2 million 4-year-olds attend Georgia pre-K, according to the Georgia Lottery.

The estimated Mega Millions jackpot is $522 million, with the next drawing Friday at 11 p.m. 

The odds of winning the jackpot remain slim — players have a roughly 1 in 302.6 million chance. 

You can reach Nava Rawls at [email protected] or on X @navarawls.

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