The Mega Millions jackpot has surged to a near record-breaking $965 million for this coming Friday's drawing, after no participants managed to select all six winning numbers during Tuesday's draw. The untouched pot marks the 40th rollover since the last jackpot was claimed on June 27, setting a new precedent for the game. The numbers that remained unmatched were 10, 13, 40, 42, and 46, with the gold Mega Ball bringing up the rear at 1, as reported by WGN-TV.
While the current jackpot is staggering, it has yet to vault into the top 10 of the largest U.S. lottery jackpots ever. That said, should someone claim the prize on Friday, it would mark the eighth-largest win in Mega Millions' history since its commencement in 2002. The odds of actually hitting the jackpot are a distant 1 in 290,472,336. However, attempting to grab any prize from the Mega Ball offers more favorable odds, at 1 in 23. Lottery tickets remain available across 45 states, as well as in Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands, setting the stage for countless Americans to possibly change their lives irrevocably, for just $5 a play.
Meanwhile, the Illinois Lottery also continues to churn out daily winners in various games. On Nov. 11, the Pick-3 midday numbers were 5-0-7 with the Fireball number being 9, and for the evening, the numbers came out to 4-5-2 with the Fireball at 3, PJ Star reports. Additionally, the Pick-4 game saw midday numbers of 0-9-1-4 with Fireball 0 and evening numbers of 7-1-0-3 with Fireball 2. For those feeling particularly fortunate, Illinois Lottery drawings for games such as Powerball and Lucky Day Lotto take place multiple times a week at designated times in the evening.
For anyone in Illinois who finds themselves holding a winning ticket, the process to claim varies based on the prize value. Prizes up to $600 can be readily claimed at a lottery retailer, a Claim Center, by mail, or through an e-Claim. Heftier sums, ranging from $601 to $10,000, require a trip to a Claim Center, or can also be managed via mail or e-Claim. Top-tier wins exceeding $10,000 call for an in-person claim at a Claim Center or a more traditional approach by mail, with necessary documentation such as a photo ID and proof of Social Security number in tow. Winners are advised to make appointments for in-person claims to ensure a seamless transaction.
