Getty Mega Millions
Tonight, the Mega Millions jackpot has reached a record-breaking amount of $1.6 billion. There’s even a possibility that the jackpot could increase even beyond that amount before the drawing this evening, depending on how many people buy tickets. This is the largest jackpot in Mega Millions’ history, and it’s tied with the $1.6 billion Powerball in January 2016 for being the largest jackpot in all U.S. lottery history. With so much riding on tonight’s drawing, you’ll definitely want to watch the drawing live on TV if you can. Read on to learn about the time of tonight’s drawing on Tuesday, October 23 and how to watch the drawing live on television. After you read this story, take our poll at the end and let us know if you hope someone wins tonight or if you’d like to see the lottery get even bigger.
Here’s What Time the Mega Millions Drawing Happens in Every Time Zone
The Mega Millions drawing is every Tuesday and Friday night at 11 p.m. Eastern (10 p.m. Central, 8 p.m. Pacific, 9 p.m. Mountain.)
Ticket sales typically end 15 minutes to an hour before the drawing, depending on which state you’re in.
Here Is How to Watch Mega Millions on TV in Every State
The Mega Millions website doesn’t share a list of official TV channels that will broadcast the drawing live. However a number of sources, listed below, indicate where it can be seen. None of the stations below are guaranteed to be broadcasting the drawing tonight, but they have in the past. More and more stations will join in on broadcasting as the jackpot grows (and this is the biggest in history, so you can expect a good portion of these stations to be participating.)
You can also keep an eye on the Mega Millions live stream here as a backup.
Note that the channel numbers may be different depending on your cable provider, but the broadcaster (ABC, CBS, etc.) should be the same. To find out what channel number a specific station is on for you, click here to go to TV Guide’s listings. Then change the “Provider” to your local provider. You’ll be able to scroll down to see what channel number your station is on for you.
These channels are listed in alphabetical order by state, or just search for the state that you are in.
Nationally: Look for WGN-TV or a WGN affiliate wherever you live, according to Lottery Universe. This may be the simplest way to watch the drawing live on TV.
Alabama & Alaska: Alabama and Alaska aren’t listed because the states aren’t participating in lotteries. Find out more here.
Arizona: Looking for a station that broadcasts WGN is your best bet. In addition, the Arizona Lottery site says that players in Tucson can sometimes tune in to KOLD News 13 at 10:25 pm to hear the results.
Arkansas: Looking for a station that broadcasts WGN is your best bet.
California: CBS-8 in San Diego, according to LotteryUniverse. This has not been verified, though, so you may want to contact your local station to confirm.
Colorado: Looking for a station that broadcasts WGN is your best bet. According to Colorado’s lottery site, the Mega Millions winning numbers will sometimes scroll across the bottom of the screen on FOX News/KDVR.
Connecticut: WCCT-TV, according to Connecticut’s Lottery website.
Delaware: Looking for a station that broadcasts WGN is your best bet.
Florida: A complete list is here.
- Ft. Myers – WFTX (Fox) and WWDT/Telemundo
- Gainesville – WCJB-ABC
- Jacksonville – WJXX-ABC, WTLV NBC
- Miami/Ft. Lauderdale – WFOR CBS, WBFS MyTV, WLTV (Univision), WAMI TV (Unimas)
- Orlando/Daytona Beach/Melbourne – WKMG-CBS and WTMO/Telemundo
- Panama City – WJHG-NBC
- Pensacola – WFGX-MyTV, WEAR ABC
- Sarasota – WWSB-ABC
- Tallahassee – WTXL-ABC
- Tampa/St. Petersburg – WTSP-CBS and WVEA/Univision
- West Palm Beach – WPBF-ABC, WWHB-TV (Azteca)
Georgia: In Georgia, you have several options that might work. The drawing itself is held at WSB-TV in Atlanta, Georgia, Channel 2. But WRBL Channel 3 is also listed on Georgia’s lottery website. The following stations have also been recommended by Lottery Universe:
- WALB (Albany, GA)- 11:00 PM EST
- WJBF (Augusta, GA)- 11:00 PM EST
- 13WMAZ (Macon, GA)-11:00 PM EST
- WSAV (Savannah, GA)- 11:00 PM EST
- WRBL (Columbus, GA)- 11:00 PM EST
Hawaii: Hawaii isn’t listed because the state isn’t participating in the lottery. Find out more here.
Idaho: According to the Idaho lottery website:
- Boise – KTVB NBC 7 or Channel 7.2 or KTVCB.com
- Idaho Falls/Pocatello – KPVI-NBC Channel 6 (delayed)
- Lewiston – KLEW-CBS Channel 3/8 (live)
- Twin Falls – NBC 7.8 (live) or KTFT-NBC Channel 7 (delayed)
(Idaho doesn’t appearing to be updating its TV listing, so you might also want to try WGN if available.)
Illinois: Chicago/Statewide – WGN – Channel 9
Indiana: In Indianapolis – Fox 59 sometimes broadcasts the Mega Millions drawing live.
Iowa: According to Iowa’s lottery website:
- Cedar Rapids/Waterloo/Dubuque – KWWL
- Sioux City – KTIV
- You might also want to try WGN
Kansas: According to Kansas Lottery, only KDGL, an independent station broadcasting on Channel 23 in Dodge City, Garden City, Liberal, Ulysses and Sublette, and WDAF-TV Fox 4 in Kansas City, Missouri, broadcast the Powerball (and possibly might broadcast Mega Millions.)
Kentucky: WGN – According to the Kentucky Lottery website, you can watch the drawing on WGN TV.
Louisiana: In Louisiana, these stations broadcast lottery drawings:
- Alexandria – KALB Channel 5
- Baton Rouge – Cox Channel 4
- Lafayette – Cox Channel 4
- Lake Charles – KVHP Channel 29
- Monroe – KARD Channel 14
- New Orleans – WVUE Channel 8
- Shreveport – KPXJ Channel 21
Maine: According to Maine’s lottery website, you can watch the drawing on: WAGM – Fox 23 or WABI. However, this hasn’t been updated recently.
Maryland: WBAL-TV 11 at 11:22 pm (delayed)
Massachusetts: According to Mass Live, there are no Massachusetts TV stations that air drawings (and possibly could be the same for Mega Millions). However, you may be able to watch it anyway if you have access to any of these affiliates: Hartford’s WTIC Channel 61 & WCCT Channel 20 or Derry’s WBIN Channel 18. Or try WGN.
Michigan
- Detroit – WDIV-TV 4 according to LotteryUniverse
- Grand Rapids – WXSP-TV/WOOd-TV8, according to LotteryUniverse
- Lansing – WLAJ-TV 53, according to LotteryUniverse
- Muskegon – WMKG-TV40, according to LotteryUniverse
Minnesota: According to Minnesota’s Lottery website, the state no longer broadcasts Mega Millions live.
Mississippi: Mississippi isn’t listed because the state isn’t participating in the lottery. Find out more here.
Missouri: According to Kansas Lottery, only WDAF-TV Fox 4 broadcasts the Powerball in Kansas City, Missouri (and possibly might broadcast Mega Millions.)
Montana: The state’s own lottery website doesn’t list a channel. Your best bet is likely to watch it online or look for a WGN affiliate.
Nebraska: Nebraska’s lottery website doesn’t list a channel. Your best bet is likely to watch it online live or look for a WGN affiliate.
Nevada: Nevada isn’t listed because the state isn’t participating in the lottery. Find out more here.
New Hampshire: New Hampshire’s lottery website doesn’t list a channel. Your best bet is likely to watch it online live or look for a WGN affiliate.
New Jersey: In New Jersey, “Evening Lottery Drawings are broadcast on PIX11 (New York) and PHL17 (Philadelphia). LIVE Evening drawings begin at approximately 7:57 PM, nightly. The channel may vary depending upon your television service provider. Check with your television service provider for listings. See the drawing schedule above.”
New Mexico: The state’s own lottery website doesn’t list a TV station. Your best bet is likely to watch it online or try a WGN affiliate.
New York: In New York, some stations listed are from LotteryUniverse and some are from New York’s lottery website. Check with your local station to make sure it will broadcast the drawing.
- Albany – WALB ABC-10
- Buffalo: WUTV 29
- Binghamton – WBNG-12
- Capital Region: WRGB 6 or CW 15
- East Syracuse: WSYR-TV
- Elmira: WETM 18
- Johnson City: WBNG-TV
- New York – ABC-7
- Plattsburgh – WPTZ-5
- Rochester – WHAM-13
- Syracuse – WSTM 3 or WTVH 5
- Utica: WUTR 20
- Watertown: WSTM 3 or WTVH 5
North Carolina: In North Carolina, you can watch the drawing live on the NCEL drawing station network or on WRAL-TV. The NCEL network includes:
- Asheville – WLOS – Channel 13
- Charlotte – WAXN – TV64
- Greenville/New Bern/Washington – WITN – Channel 7
- Raleigh – WRAL – Channel 5
- The Triad – WXLV – Channel 45
North Dakota: North Dakota’s website doesn’t list a station. Your best bet is probably to watch online.
Ohio: In Ohio, Mega Millions drawings are broadcast on WGN, but also possibly on these stations:
- Cincinnati: WCPO ABC 9
- Cleveland: WEWS ABC 5
- Columbus: WTTE Fox 28, WSYX ABC 6
- Dayton: WHIO CBS 7
- Huntington: WSAZ NBC 13
- Lima: ELIO Fox 9, EOHL CBS 11, WOHL ABC 12
- Steubenville: WTOV NBC 9
- Toledo: WTVG ABC 13
- Youngstown: WFMJ NBC 21
- Zanesville: WHIZ NBC 18
Oklahoma: Oklahoma doesn’t list a website. Your best bet may be to watch it online or look for a WGN affiliate.
Oregon: Oregon doesn’t list a website. Your best bet may be to watch it online.
Pennsylvania: In Pennsylvania, try the following (not guaranteed, but they have broadcast the drawings before):
- Erie – WJET Channel 24 (delayed)
- Harrisburg/Lancaster/York – WGAL Channel 8 (delayed)
- Johnstown/Altoona/State College – WTAJ Channel 10 (delayed)
- Philadelphia – WTXF Channel 29
- Pittsburgh – WPXI Channel 11 (delayed)
- Wilkes-Barre/Scranton – WNEP Channel 16
Rhode Island: Rhode Island doesn’t list a website. Your best bet may be to watch it online.
South Carolina: (According to the South Carolina lottery website. This isn’t guaranteed, but they have broadcast drawings before.)
- Aiken/Augusta – WRDW-TV CBS
- Charleston – WCSC – CBS
- Columbia – WLTX – CBS
- Florence/Myrtle Beach – WMBF – NBC
- Greenville/Spartanburg – WHNS – FOX
- Hilton Head – WHHI-TV
- Rock Hill/Charlotte – WMYT – MNT
South Dakota: South Dakota doesn’t list a website. Your best bet may be to watch it online.
Tennessee: According to Tennessee’s lottery website. (These aren’t guaranteed, but they have broadcast the drawing in the past.)
- Chattanooga – WTVC – ABC Channel 9
- Jacksonville – WBBJ – ABC Channel 7
- Knoxville – WBIR – NBC Channel 10
- Nashville – WKRN – ABC Channel 2
- Memphis – WREG – CBS Channel 3
- Tri-cities area – WKPT – ABC Channel 19
Texas: Texas’ website doesn’t list broadcast stations. Your best bet may be to watch online or look for a WGN affiliate.
Utah: Utah isn’t listed because the state isn’t participating in the lottery. Find out more here.
Vermont : Burlington – WPTZ-5, according to LotteryUniverse
Virginia: In Virginia, watch at the stations below:
- WRIC-TV — Richmond
- WDBJ-TV — Roanoke
- WVEC-TV — Hampton
- WUSA-TV — Northern VA
- WHSV-TV — Harrisonburg
- WZDC-TV — Northern VA
Virgin Islands: Christiansted, St. Croix – ABC WSVI – Channel 8
Washington: Washington doesn’t list a broadcast channel. Your best bet may be to watch online.
Washington D.C. : NewsChannel 8 (according to D.C.’s lottery website in the past)
West Virginia: In West Virginia, try WSAZ NBC 3 in Huntington.
Wisconsin: Wisconsin’s website doesn’t list a broadcast station. Your best bet may be to watch online.
Wyoming: Wyoming’s website doesn’t list a broadcast station. Your best bet may be to watch online.
Remember: You can also try a WGN affiliate in your region.
To play Mega Millions, you will need to pick six numbers from two separate polls. First, pick five numbers from 1 to 70, and then one number, 1 to 25. You can also use the “Easy Pick” option to have a computer select your numbers for you. You can buy a ticket at any retailer that sells lottery tickets, typically a gas station/convenience store or a grocery store. It costs $2 to play and in some states, ticket sales stop 15 minutes to an hour before the drawing. Mega Millions is played in 44 states plus Washington D.C. and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
So, would you like to see someone win the lottery tonight, or are you hoping the lottery will keep on growing for awhile longer before we get a winner? Let us know in the poll below.