As Christmas draws closer, the excitement climbs higher. Finals are over, the kids are out of school, and there’s PTO that needs to be used!

Mega Millions had the honor of kicking off Christmas break like it does every year. What made December 18, 2020 memorable was how this lottery has a jackpot in crazy rich territory. Thanks to the help of four repeating Three-Number Combinations, the jackpot remained firmly in the stratosphere. With no one picking the six winning numbers, the jackpot climbed to $330 million.

General Lottery Analysis

With winning numbers 7, 15, 25, 51, 60 and MB 5, the {2-1-1-1-1} Pattern made its 278^th appearance.

There have now been 629 Mega Million drawings, and this Pattern has played 44.2% of the time.

The [1-2-1-1-1] General Order, now with 64 appearances, has played in 23% of the 278 drawings where {2-1-1-1-1} was the winning Pattern. Once all 629 drawings have been taken into consideration, this General Order has played 10.2% of the time.

Prior to Friday night, both the {2-1-1-1-1} Pattern and the [1-2-1-1-1] General Order played December 11, 2020.

Now with 14 appearances, the 1 2 0 1 1 1 Specific Order has played in 21.875% of the 64 drawings where the General Order was [1-2-1-1-1]. This Specific Order has also played in 5.04% of the 278 drawings where {2-1-1-1-1} was the winning Pattern and in 2.23% of all 629 drawings. We last saw the 1 2 0 1 1 1 Specific Order March 27, 2020.

Three-Number Combinations

These members made up the repeating Four-Number Combination quartet:

• 15, 25, 51 (Debuted Christmas 2015)
• 25, 51, MB 5 (Debuted December 15, 2015)
• 7, 51, MB 5 (Debuted August 13, 2019)
• 7, 25, 51 (Debuted February 2, 2016)

We’ve found ourselves in an interesting situation here. Mega Millions just saw its most commonly played Pattern and the jackpot is close to one-third of a billion dollars! It remains to be seen if Christmas week sees the {2-1-1-1-1} Pattern try to establish a streak, or the monster prize being claimed. Wouldn’t it be something if these forces combined?

Mega Millions had the honor of kicking off December 2020. In a strange year that can get stranger still (there are a few weeks left, you know), the establishment of a {2-1-1-1-1} Pattern streak seemed “normal” by comparison! This past Tuesday night also saw the continued growth of the jackpot. The prize itself rose to $244 million.

General Lottery Analysis

With winning numbers 7, 33, 53, 61, 65 and MB 14, the {2-1-1-1-1} Pattern not only played for the 276^th time, but five times in a row!

There have now been 624 Mega Millions drawings, and this Pattern has played in 44.2% of them. We last saw the {2-1-1-1-1} Pattern November 27, 2020.

The [1-1-1-2-1] General Order, now with 63 appearances, has played in 22.8% of the 276 drawings where {2-1-1-1-1} was the winning Pattern. Once all 624 drawings have been taken into consideration, this General Order has played 10.1% of the time. The [1-1-1-2-1] General Order was last seen November 24, 2020.

Now with 19 appearances, the 1 0 1 1 2 1 Specific Order has played in 30.2% of the 63 drawings where the General Order was [1-1-1-2-1]. This Specific Order has also played in 6.88% of the 276 drawings where {2-1-1-1-1} was the winning Pattern and in 3.04% of all 624 drawings. Prior to Tuesday night, the 1 0 1 1 2 1 Specific Order played in the July 5, 2019 drawing.

Three-Number Combinations

A couple of repeating Three-Number Combinations came along for the ride:

• 7, 33, 53 (Debuted August 18, 2015)
• 7, 53, MB 14 (Debuted January 20, 2017)

Will the {2-1-1-1-1} Pattern continue to dominate, or will another Pattern end the streak?

We’re now in the “Mas” part of “HallowThankmas”. Black Friday meant shopping, shopping, shopping, or sleeping off the feast from the day before (and shopping online). For Mega Millions, November 27, 2020 meant (1) embracing the {2-1-1-1-1} Pattern streak and (2) a jackpot hike to $229 million.

General Lottery Analysis

With winning numbers 4, 10, 27, 35, 58 and MB 10, the {2-1-1-1-1} Pattern made its 275^th appearance.

There have now been 623 Mega Millions drawings, and this Pattern has now played 44.1% of the time. Recall that the {2-1-1-1-1} Pattern was last seen November 24, 2020.

The [2-1-1-1-1] General Order, now with 68 appearances, has played in 24.7% of the 275 drawings where {2-1-1-1-1} was the winning Pattern. Once all 623 drawings have been taken into consideration, this General Order has played 10.9% of the time. Prior to Friday night, the [2-1-1-1-1] General Order played November 17, 2020.

Now with nine appearances, the 2 1 1 0 1 1 Specific Order has played in 13.2% of the 68 drawings where the General Order was [2-1-1-1-1]. This Specific Order has also played in 3.27% of the 275 drawings where {2-1-1-1-1} was the winning Pattern and in 1.44% of all 623 drawings. The 2 1 1 0 1 1 Specific Order was last seen in the September 8, 2020 drawing.

Three-Number Combinations

Friday night also saw the appearance of four repeating Three-Number Combinations!

• 4, 10, 58 (Debuted November 8, 2019)
• 10, 35, MB 10 (Debuted March 4, 2014)
• 27, 58, MB 10 (Debuted March 17, 2017 and previously played March 31, 2017)
• 4, 27, 58 (Debuted August 18, 2020)

Will December be the month of the {2-1-1-1-1} Pattern streak?  

Long ago, in the days of rabbit-ear antennas, cable TV, and VCRs, the Thanksgiving holiday season meant holiday specials, special movie airings and marathons. It meant making sure you got to the television before everyone else or remembering to set the VCR! Nowadays, streaming has made holiday specials available at any time and staking out the living room/den is largely a thing of the past.

What does the description of Thanksgivings past have to do with Mega Millions, you ask? The holiday season is about the warm and fuzzies, and nothing says warm and fuzzy like something familiar. What’s that word, that word where something happens again and again?

Ah, yes. Repeat.

Of course, Mega Millions went above and beyond. The night of November 24, 2020 saw a Pattern three-peat. Additionally, there was room for a General Order encore and then some! These repeats weren’t there just for show. They pushed the prize up to $214 million.

General Lottery Analysis

The {2-1-1-1-1} Pattern three-peat was made possible by winning numbers 9, 15, 34, 61, 64 and MB 6. This Pattern has now played 274 times.

There have now been 622 Mega Millions drawings and this Pattern has played 44.1% of the time.

The [1-1-1-2-1] General Order, now  with 62 appearances, has played in 22.6% of the 274 drawings where {2-1-1-1-1} was the winning Pattern. Once all 622 drawings have been taken into consideration, this General Order has played 9.97% of the time.

Both the {2-1-1-1-1} Pattern and the [1-1-1-2-1] General Order were last seen in the November 20, 2020 drawing.

Now with 13 appearances, the 1 1 1 0 2 1 Specific Order has played in 21% of the 62 drawings where the General Order was [1-1-1-2-1]. This Specific Order has also played in 4.74% of the 274 drawings where {2-1-1-1-1} was the winning Pattern and in 2.10% of all 622 drawings. Prior to Tuesday night, the 1 1 1 0 2 1 Specific Order played April 24, 2020.

Three-Number Combinations

The “and then some” happened to be a duo of repeating Three-Number Combinations, one of which played twice before!

• 15, 64, MB 6 (Debuted April 7, 2015)
• 34, 64, MB 6 (Debuted January 7, 2014 and previously played October 24, 2017)

Will a {2-1-1-1-1} Pattern streak be established after Friday night’s drawing?

To have a playback, or not to have a playback? No question about it; Mega Millions did not see a playback! Just as it was this past Friday, this lottery flirted with the idea of a playback but for some reason didn’t feel compelled enough to go through with it. Regardless of our feelings about the matter, the jackpot did see another boost. Thanks to the “near playback”, the prize rose to $188 million.

General Lottery Analysis

The November 17, 2020 Mega Millions drawing featured the 272^nd appearance of the {2-1-1-1-1} Pattern, with winning numbers 8, 13, 35, 46, 68 and MB 16.

There have now been 620 Mega Millions drawings, and this Pattern has played 43.9% of the time. We last saw the {2-1-1-1-1} Pattern in the October 30, 2020 drawing.

The [2-1-1-1-1] General Order, now with 67 appearances, has played in 24.6% of the 272 drawings where {2-1-1-1-1} was the winning Pattern. Once all 620 drawings have been taken into consideration, this General Order has played 10.8% of the time.

Now with 22 appearances, the 2 0 1 1 1 1 Specific Order has played in 32.8% of the 67 drawings where the General Order was [2-1-1-1-1]. This Specific Order has also played in 8.09% of the 272 drawings where {2-1-1-1-1} was the winning Pattern and in 3.55% of all 620 drawings.

Prior to Tuesday night, both the [2-1-1-1-1] General Order and the 2 0 1 1 1 1 Specific Order played October 27, 2020.

Three-Number Combinations

In lieu of a playback, a trio of repeating Three-Number Combinations rose to the occasion.

• 13, 35, 46 (Debuted April 17, 2020)
• 13, 35, 68 (The big one! This Combination debuted August 28, 2015 and previously played July 3, 2018)
• 8, 46, 68 (Debuted July 12, 2016)

Which will happen first Friday night: the return of the {2-1-1-1-1} Pattern or a playback?