The numbers have been drawn yet no one has come forth as a winner; the Powerball and Mega Millions jackpots continue their meteoric rise with prizes that are hard to fathom. Following the most recent Powerball drawing, the jackpot soared to a staggering $532 million after another round without a jackpot claimant. This swelling amount follows the last major win back on New Year's Day when a lucky Michigan dweller took home an $842.4 million bounty, according to FOX San Antonio.
Amid the fervor surrounding these rising jackpots, the Powerball gears up for its next draw tomorrow, in hopes someone will finally hit the big one. As for the Mega Millions, tensions are even higher with the jackpot having reached a colossal $735 million; a prize of unmatched proportions since the drawing on Tuesday night failed to produce a winner. The cash payout option for this behemoth stands at $357 million, awaiting the potential victor's choice, FOX San Antonio reports.
However, lady luck dismissed hopeful players again as Tuesday's Mega Millions drawing bore no match for the six drawn numbers of 2, 49, 50, 61, and 70, with the gold Mega Ball 14. This outcome has pushed the upcoming jackpot estimate for Friday to a jaw-dropping $687 million, which could become the sixth-largest in Mega Millions history should someone take home the prize. "Only the game's five jackpots exceeding $1 billion have been higher," Mega Millions noted in a statement obtained by Yahoo News.
As for gameplay specifics, the last round of the Mega Millions failed to see winning numbers match those drawn last Friday—15, 33, 37, 55, 61 and the Mega Ball 24, leaving many to wonder when the next big win might drop. The last time an individual laid claim to a Mega Millions jackpot occurred in December, when a Californian secured a $395 million payoff. Those who find themselves lucky enough to claim the next jackpot have a decision to make: taking the full amount in installments or opting for a "cash value" lump sum, a choice awaiting the fateful decision of future winners, as reported by Yahoo News.
