Mega Millions Winning Numbers Top $135M December 16: Latest Lottery Results, Winners

Who's going to be the next Mega Millions lottery winner? It could be you! Friday's Mega Millions winning numbers are worth a staggering $135,000,000, but only if you can match the December 16th lottery numbers. How hard could it possibly be to pick six numbers? Apparently, it's a lot harder than you think, otherwise there would be a new Mega Millions winner every week!

Photo credit: penywise from morguefile.com

December 16, 2011 Mega Millions Drawing

Tonight's Mega Millions drawing is the thirteenth since November 1, 2011 when Charles Hairston of Paso Robles, California matched all six Mega Millions numbers for a jackpot of $78,000,000 before taxes. Since then, the Mega Millions grand prize has grown exponentially. Lottery retailers report good ticket sales today as hopeful multimillionaires buy up handfuls of Mega Millions tickets. How many lottery tickets do you plan on buying for Friday's drawing?

If you end up being tonight's big lottery winner, keep in mind the huge $135,000,000 jackpot is the annuitized amount, and is paid out over 26 years in annual payments. Whether you choose to take the cash amount of $98,900,000 to the bank, or the whole shebang, you'll have to deduct 25 percent for federal taxes and whatever your state imposes upon you. Even after all the deductions and taxes are paid, you'll still end up with a stocking full of money this Christmas season!

California Lottery: 15 Mega Millions Winners Claim Lottery Prize

Santa Claus delivered an early Christmas present to a group of 15 hospital co-workers this week to the tune of $202,991. The California lottery winners got together and purchased a Quick Pick lottery ticket for the December 9th Mega Millions drawing. They matched five out of six Mega Millions winning numbers (4, 12, 29, 49, 51), but not the Mega Ball number (44), for the second-tier prize.

California Lottery officials say the group's leader, Dennis Moreno, bought the winning lottery ticket at Don's Liquor & Deli, 5215 North Clydebank Avenue, Azusa (Los Angeles County), California. The 15-member group claimed their lottery prize on December 14th. The money couldn't have come at a better time for most of these California lottery winners. Looks like it'll be a very merry Christmas after all!

What Time is Tonight's Mega Millions Drawing?

Whatever you do, don't forget to buy your winning lottery tickets, and don't miss the Mega Millions drawing Friday night, December 16, 2011, at 11:00 p.m. ET. Mega Millions winning numbers are drawn on Tuesday and Friday evenings at WSB-TV in Atlanta, Georgia. Tickets are sold in 41 states plus the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The final Mega Millions results are usually available within a few hours of the drawing.

Please Play Responsibly

Remember, playing the lottery should be fun, but sometimes too much lottery fun can be addictive and could ruin lives. Please play responsibly, and don't spend more than you're willing to lose.

Make sure to check the comments section at the bottom of this page shortly after the drawing for Friday's Mega Millions winning numbers.

See all Donna's Mega Millions results and Powerball results at Gather.com.

Join the Conversation	You are following this conversation | stop following follow this conversation by email