The elusive Mega Millions jackpot has ballooned to a staggering $687 million, sparking dreams and dollar signs in the eyes of hopeful players nationwide, after the latest drawing failed to produce a winner for the grand prize. According to the Detroit Free Press, this makes the current jackpot the sixth-largest in the game's history, with the next chance to win coming up this Friday.
Michigan and California were hot spots in Tuesday's drawing, where two winning tickets were sold, both matching the five white balls to snag a cool $1 million prize; the Michigan winner hails from Bay City, as lottery officials confirmed, and as for purchasing tickets, Michiganders can try their luck in-store or online up until 10:45 p.m. on the draw night. Patch reported the identity of the new millionaires remains a mystery as the public gets caught up in jackpot fever, wondering if the next drawing will finally produce a new billionaire.
The potential payout is indeed a lavish one, offering winners the choice between an annuity of 30 payments over 29 years or a lump sum, a hefty $332.3 million before Uncle Sam takes his cut. NBC Washington reminds us that despite the tax bill that inevitably accompanies such windfalls lottery jackpots are notorious for reaching astronomical figures largely because the odds are so slim—1 in 302.6 million for Mega Millions.
While tickets remain $2 a pop, those who dream bigger can opt for the Megaplier feature at an additional dollar, potentially multiplying non-jackpot prizes two to five times depending on the luck of the draw; the next drawing is set for Friday, 11 p.m., with the whole country watching with bated breath, wondering if their numbers will be the ones to break the cycle of rollovers and usher in a new life of luxury, incomprehensible riches.
