Gordon Midvale fills out a lottery ticket inside a 7-Eleven in Oakland on Tuesday, July 26. The Mega Millions jackpot is now $1.1 billion. (AP File)
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DES MOINES, Iowa — One of the nation’s biggest lottery prizes got a little bigger Thursday as the Mega Millions jackpot increased to an estimated $1.1 billion.
The increase ahead of Friday night’s drawing makes the jackpot the third largest in U.S. history, behind $1.5 billion in prizes won in 2018 and 2016.
No Winners Since April
The Mega Millions prize has grown so large because it has been more than three months since anyone matched the game’s six numbers and snagged the jackpot.
That is 29 consecutive drawings without a winner.
Before rushing out to spend $2 on a ticket, remember that the odds of winning the Mega Millions jackpot are a staggering 1 in 302.5 million.
Cash Option Nears $650 Million
The $1.1 billion prize is for players who get their winnings through an annuity, paid annually over 29 years.
Nearly all winners take the cash option, which is an estimated $648.2 million for Friday’s drawing.
