$1.55 Billion Mega Millions Prize Grows as 31 Drawings Pass Without a Winner

An electronic sign on a scratch off dispenser, beckons players to cast their lot at winning all or part of Tuesday's Mega Millions drawing of $1.55 billion, at this Jackson, Miss., convenience store on Aug. 7, 2023. Rogelio V. Solis/AP Photo

DES MOINES, Iowa—There is no mystery why the Mega Millions jackpot has grown to $1.55 billion, making it the third-largest ever ahead of Tuesday night’s drawing.

The prize has ballooned because no one has matched the game’s six winning numbers since April 18, amounting to 31 straight drawings without a big winner. The nearly four-month-long unlucky streak could be all the sweeter for the person who finally lands the top prize, which is inching toward the record lottery jackpot of $2.04 billion won in 2022 by a player in California.