Caption: A Mega Millions customer displays her ticket for the estimated jackpot of $1.1 Billion at the Fuel On Convenience Store in Pittsburgh, Monday, Jan. 9, 2023. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
Photographer: Gene J. Puskar
Provider: AP
Source: AP
Copyright: Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved
(Credits: AP)
With an estimated jackpot at $1.1billion, Mega Millions has climbed to its third highest total in history since the lottery game began in 1996.
Mega Millions has gone nearly three months without a winner, but gamblers are hoping that Tuesday night’s prize drawing will end a three-month losing streak that has pushed the jackpot to such a high total.
The odds of winning the astronomical sum are steep – an individual has a chance of 1 in 302.6million to draw a correct ticket.
The drawing is set for Tuesday night at 11pm Eastern Standard Time. It typically takes a few hours to determine if a winning ticket was drawn.
If a winner is drawn, they are given a choice – either receive the $1.1billion through an annuity of 30 payments over 29 years, or accept a smaller sum in cash. If a winner is drawn on Tuesday night, the cash sum would total $568.7million.
This is only the fourth time Mega Millions has climbed over the $1billion threshold, and if a winning ticket is drawn on Tuesday it will become the third largest payout ever.
So far two other gamers have won high sums – a lucky winner in South Carolina won $1.5billion in 2018, and a gambler in Illinois won $1.3billion in 2022.
‘It’s especially nice to see the jackpot grow throughout the holidays and into the new year,’ Ohio Lottery Director Pat McDonald said.
‘We are thankful for the support of our customers and retailers, which allows each of our 47 member lotteries to generate funds for good causes within their jurisdiction. As the jackpot grows, we encourage our players to keep within their entertainment budget and enjoy this jackpot run right along with us.’
Mega Millions is available to play in 45 states and two US territories – the US Virgin Islands and Washington, DC.
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The odds of winning the astronomical sum are steep – an individual has a chance of 1 in 302.6million to draw a correct ticket.
