Keep those lottery tickets close, as they may turn into quite the holiday surprise.
The Mega Millions jackpot has risen beyond the $1 billion mark after no one managed to match the six numbers that were drawn on Christmas Eve. The anticipated jackpot for the upcoming Friday drawing is estimated to reach $1.15 billion, potentially making it the fifth-largest in the history of the game.
“We understand that many individuals will likely receive tickets for Friday’s drawing as holiday presents, and imagine how incredible that gift would be if it turned out to be worth a whopping $1.15 billion,” stated Joshua Johnston, lead director for the Mega Millions Consortium, in a Wednesday announcement.
The chances of hitting the Mega Millions jackpot stand at 1 in 302,575,350, while players have a 1 in 24 opportunity to win some prize in the game, as reported by lottery officials.
Mega Millions tickets are available in 45 states, along with Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands, with each ticket priced at $2. Notably, half of the proceeds from each ticket sale goes back to the state where it was purchased. Drawings for the game occur at 11 p.m. Eastern Time on both Tuesdays and Fridays.
“I can’t envision a more joyful way to mark the holiday season—be it Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, the Winter Solstice, or however people choose to celebrate—than by contributing to dreams that come with a grand prize like this and others that will be awarded across different levels of the game,” Johnston added.
Mega Millions jackpot $1 billion, on Christmas Eve no winner
