Here are the winning numbers for the $977M jackpot

by: Russell Falcon

Posted: Mar 22, 2024 / 11:04 PM EDT

Updated: Mar 22, 2024 / 11:13 PM EDT

(NEXSTAR) — Is it your lucky day? Friday’s Mega Millions jackpot is a massive $977 million, it’s only the sixth time a jackpot has been this big. Winning numbers for the March 22 jackpot are: 3, 8, 44, 31, and 35. The Mega ball number is 16. Friday’s Megaplier is 3X.

The estimated $977 million prize grew from $893 million after no tickets matched all six numbers on Tuesday of this week. The cash prize for Friday’s drawing is $461 million.

Mega Millions is played in 45 states and the District of Columbia. Tickets are $2 and there are a total of nine ways to win a prize. Drawings are held at 11 p.m. ET Tuesdays and Fridays.

USA Mega, which tracks Mega Millions statistics, says the most common Mega Millions numbers are 10, 3, 17, 14 and 46 for the first five numbers. The most common Mega ball number is 11.

These are the largest lottery prizes in the U.S.:

1. $2.04 billion (Powerball): Nov. 7, 2022; California
2. $1.765 billion (Powerball): Oct. 11, 2023; California
3. $1.602 billion (Mega Millions): Aug. 15, 2023; Florida
4. $1.586 billion (Powerball): Jan. 13, 2016; California, Florida, Tennessee
5. $1.537 billion (Mega Millions): Oct. 23, 2018; South Carolina
6. $1.348 billion (Mega Millions): Jan. 13, 2023; Maine
7. $1.337 billion (Mega Millions): July 29, 2022; Illinois
8. $1.08 billion (Powerball): July 19, 2023; California
9. $1.05 billion (Mega Millions): Jan. 22, 2021; Michigan 
10. $977 million (estimated Mega millions)

If no one claims Friday’s jackpot, the next Mega Millions drawing is scheduled to be held Tuesday, March 26.

Nexstar’s Addy Bink, Matthew Knight and Ashleigh Jackson contributed to this report.