Mega Millions jackpot grows to $940 million; no winning tickets sold Tuesday

The first Mega Millions drawing of the new year went without a winner Tuesday evening, causing the jackpot to jump from $785 million to $940 million.

The top prize increased after no players matched all six numbers drawn Tuesday evening. 

The winning numbers in Tuesday's drawing of the multi-state Mega Millions lottery are 25, 29, 33, 41, 44 and the Mega number is 18.

After Tuesday's drawing, there have now been 23 straight drawings without a winner, with the jackpot total climbing each time.

The estimated $785 million prize was for a winner who chooses to be paid through an annuity, with annual checks over 29 years. Nearly all winners opt for cash, which was worth an estimated $395 million. That total will now also grow without a winning ticket sold thus far. 

The jackpot is the largest since a $2.04 billion Powerball prize, which was won in November. A winner still has yet to be announced for that record-setting payout. 

"On only three previous occasions has the Mega Millions jackpot gone beyond $700 million, and all three times those rolls continued on past $1 billion," Mega Millions said.

Mega Millions is played in 45 states as well as Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands.