The chase for the Mega Millions jackpot is heating up as it reaches an astounding $607 million for this Friday's draw. After no one claimed the prize in Tuesday's draw, the stakes have been raised once again, making it the eighth-largest jackpot in the game's history, according to Detroit Free Press.
The last jackpot was claimed over two months ago on Dec. 8, with two lucky winners in California sharing a $395 million prize. Hopeful participants can purchase their tickets in 45 states, Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands, with sales continuing until 10:45 p.m. local time in Michigan on the night of the draw. As reported by hoodline, a Mega Millions official highlighted the long odds of winning the grand prize as 1 in 302,575,350.
Winning numbers for Tuesday were 6-18-26-27-49 with a Mega Ball number of 4. The Megaplier, which came out to be 3X, can multiply non-jackpot prizes for those who opt for the extra $1 per play. Detroit Free Press outlines the Mega Millions prizes, which range from $2 for matching the Mega Ball, to the jackpot for matching all six numbers.
The prospective winner has a choice should they beat a the odds: an annuity paid out over 30 years with each payment increasing by 5%, or a one-time cash lump sum. This past Friday, over 213,000 tickets won smaller prizes, from $2 up to $50,000, as noted by the hoodline report. The drawing takes place at 11 p.m. ET on Tuesdays and Fridays, with the lottery's past heftiest jackpot reaching a record $1.602 billion won by a single ticket in Florida back in August 2023, Forbes reports.
