The Mega Millions jackpot has surged to a whopping $650 million for the upcoming Tuesday drawing, setting the stage as the seventh largest in the game's history. This comes after no ticket matched all six numbers in Friday's draw. According to the Mega Millions website cited by the Detroit Free Press, the lump sum cash option for the giant jackpot sits at $308.6 million.
With ticket holders all over the country growing eager, in the thrall of lottery fever, the next drawing is set for Tuesday, March 5. The Delaware News Journal reports that hopefuls can purchase their tickets until 10:45 p.m. on draw night in Michigan, with similar cutoff times expected across participating states.
Even as the jackpot soars, winning this massive prize is a long shot. Players face staggering odds of 1 in 302,575,350 to match all five white balls and the Mega Ball for the grand prize. As stated on the Michigan Lottery website, and referenced by the Detroit Free Press, there are nine ways to win a prize in Mega Millions, starting from matching just the Mega Ball for a $2 prize to the jackpot.
The last time anyone scooped the top prize was on Dec. 8, which divided a $394 million jackpot between two winning tickets in California. Tickets can be bought online through a variety of channels, and at brick-and-mortar retailers such as gas stations and grocery stores, as reported by northjersey.com. The winners, who struck rich, their lives forever reshaped by fortune's hand, have the option to take the payout over 29 years or as a one-time, reduced cash payment.
As the countdown to Tuesday's drawing begins, the nation watches with bated breath to see if fortune will favor an eager participant aiming to etch their name into the annals of lottery history alongside past Mega Millions winners.
