$201 MILLION: Mega Million lottery jackpot soars

Mar 17, 2011, 8:33 am (35 comments)

Mega Millions

By Todd Northrop

Lottery players across the United States are buying their Mega Millions tickets in preparation for Friday's massive $201 million drawing.

The cash value stands at a staggering $128.3 million.

Friday's Mega Millions jackpot is the accumulation of 12 consecutive drawings without a top prize winner.  The current jackpot run-up started on Feb. 4 as a $12 million grand prize.

Players should note that jackpot amounts are conservative estimates provided by the lotteries, and are often somewhat higher by the time the drawing occurs.

In the latest Mega Millions drawing that took place this past Tuesday night, there was no jackpot winner, but 18 lucky players matched the first 5 numbers for a $250,000 prize: 1 from Arkansas, 3 from California, 3 from Illinois, 1 from Indiana, 1 from Minnesota, 1 from Nebraska, 2 from New Jersey, 1 from North Carolina, 1 from Ohio, 1 from Oregon, 1 from Pennsylvania, 1 from South Carolina, and 1 from Texas.  (The "official" Mega Millions Web site has the Arkansas winner mis-identified as Arizona.)

The 3 California winners will each be awarded prizes of $168,654, because California awards all prizes in a pari-mutuel formula, which calculates the prize amount based on the number of tickets sold and the number of winners in each prize category. 

Following the Tuesday drawing, the Mega Millions annuity jackpot estimate was raised $29 million from its previous amount of $172 million. The cash value was raised by $19.4 million, from its previous amount of $108.9 million.

The next Mega Millions drawing will take place Friday evening at 11:00 pm EDT.

Mega Millions is currently offered for sale in 41 states, plus Washington, D.C. and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

For a complete set of game descriptions, results, history, and all questions regarding Mega Millions, lottery players are encouraged to visit USA Mega (www.usamega.com), a Web site that caters to the Unites States's two multi-state lottery games, Powerball and Mega Millions.

The Mega Millions winning number will be published at USA Mega Friday night, minutes after the drawing takes place.

Lottery Post Staff

Comments

dallascowboyfan's avatardallascowboyfan

I am claiming the $201 Million JackpotBanana

TnTicketlosers's avatarTnTicketlosers

Can I share with you?

dallascowboyfan's avatardallascowboyfan

Quote: Originally posted by TnTicketlosers on Mar 17, 2011

Can I share with you?

TnTicketlosers... I am sure there will be 2 Jackpot winners me & youCheers

hearsetrax's avatarhearsetrax

Razz @ both of you ..... its gonna hit here in VA and its gonna be me

 

        Thinking of...

                         Type

joshuacloak's avatarjoshuacloak

i want to to roll to 400+ million, or break the 240m cash record.

i also want only 1 person to win it all!

2 more rolls and we have lotto fever out of control! like 380 million jackpot we just had months ago

3 more rolls we have our first half a freaking billion jackpot,     chances of are getting  this reality,  1% maybe, but i can dream it could roll to such amounts

dpoly1's avatardpoly1

I am going to win a Gazillion Dollars ................. and donate it right away to my bank account .................

Big Grin

I would surely be able to do some nice things for other people that I would seek out also !

 

Just so you know, spell check helped me spell "Gazillion" properly !

TnTicketlosers's avatarTnTicketlosers

Thank you cowboy I see you are a generous man.I would help so many people,my boyfriend said he woulf take it because I would give it all away,not all of it.I would find a family in my town that had several children with a single parent,struggling,in need, and they would get my house to live in.I would pick 10 graduate kids in high school that couldnt go to college,they would go.My father raised us by himself,he would be laundry in a laundry mat at midnight if thats what it took,and go to work at 5 am.He raised 4,alone.So I would love to find a single man with children and give my home to him,Cheryl

brucevang

I really wish this jackpot rolls over $400,000,000 million or I hit the JACKPOT :P

FRIDAY NIGHT 205 MILLION SOLD AT BP GAS STATION IN WASAU, WI on N. 20th Avenue.

zinniagirl's avatarzinniagirl

Just curious, how much on average does everyone spend?   At most for me is two dollars, one my pick and the other a computer pick.

freeobama's avatarfreeobama

Yes i have the winning ticket!!!Dance

freeobama's avatarfreeobama

Quote: Originally posted by zinniagirl on Mar 17, 2011

Just curious, how much on average does everyone spend?   At most for me is two dollars, one my pick and the other a computer pick.

I pick 1 set of my own numbers and 9 quick picks. Bandit

petergrfn

 Yeah $200 million will work.....A nice large jackpot but small enough to claim quietly with a trust with not much attention.....  You guys will know if you see a guy wearing a LP hat at the Final Four!!   Going to buy my tickets today...HOPE THE LUCK OF THE IRISH WILL BE WITH ME!  Happy St. Patricks Day LP! Big Grin

dallascowboyfan's avatardallascowboyfan

Quote: Originally posted by TnTicketlosers on Mar 17, 2011

Thank you cowboy I see you are a generous man.I would help so many people,my boyfriend said he woulf take it because I would give it all away,not all of it.I would find a family in my town that had several children with a single parent,struggling,in need, and they would get my house to live in.I would pick 10 graduate kids in high school that couldnt go to college,they would go.My father raised us by himself,he would be laundry in a laundry mat at midnight if thats what it took,and go to work at 5 am.He raised 4,alone.So I would love to find a single man with children and give my home to him,Cheryl

LOL....TnTicketlosers I am definitely a generous woman...    Cheers

dallascowboyfan's avatardallascowboyfan

Quote: Originally posted by zinniagirl on Mar 17, 2011

Just curious, how much on average does everyone spend?   At most for me is two dollars, one my pick and the other a computer pick.

I usually play $2-$5 where DH always play $5.00....

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