By Todd Northrop
Will an incredibly lucky lottery player win a life-changing windfall this week, or will the multi-state Mega Millions lottery game enter into the realm of $200+ million jackpots?
We'll find out Friday night, when the $173 million Mega Millions drawing takes place.
Friday's Mega Millions jackpot is the accumulation of 14 consecutive drawings without a top prize winner. The current jackpot run-up started on Nov. 4 as a $12 million grand prize.
The lump-sum cash value stands at a staggering $129.5 million.
Players should note that jackpot amounts are conservative estimates provided by the lotteries, and are often somewhat higher by the time the drawing occurs. Occasionally the official jackpot estimate is raised even before the drawing, due to larger-than-expected sales.
In Tuesday night's Mega Millions drawing, there was no jackpot winner, but 9 lucky players matched the first 5 numbers for a $250,000 prize: 2 from California, 1 from Georgia, 1 from Illinois, 2 from Ohio, 1 from Pennsylvania, and 2 from Texas.
The two California winners will each be awarded prizes of $319,493, 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. All the other Mega Millions states award fixed amounts for all non-jackpot prizes.
Following the Tuesday drawing, the Mega Millions annuity jackpot estimate was raised $21 million from its previous amount of $152 million. The cash value was raised by $15.9 million, from its previous amount of $113.6 million.
The next Mega Millions drawing will take place Friday evening at 11:00 pm Eastern Time.
Mega Millions is currently offered for sale in 42 states, plus Washington, D.C. and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The latest state to join Mega Millions, Louisiana, became the 42nd Mega Millions state during the current jackpot run-up, on Nov. 16.
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 Friday night Mega Millions winning numbers will be published at USA Mega minutes after the drawing takes place.
Yes, Todd I will be that incredible person to win the massive 200+ millions jackpot. As a matter of fact, i'm giving the winning numbers that will come out. 02-07-19-40-51-15.
It's gonna be a Merrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrry Christmas in Pennsylvania !
if thar was ever a LP member that deserved a XXL piece of coal in thar stocking U'd get my vote
Boy ,would that make my day..Well best of "LADY LUCK " to all my LP family....
Wow wouldn't that be an amazing Christmas present! Good Luck to all and Happy Holidays
I'm going to win the PowerBall jackpot,tonight!
And the self-jinxing continues.
In a way it's kind of kind of entertaining.
It's kind of silly to describe $173 million as a life-changing jackpot, when even the smallest jackpot is life-changing. Raise your hand if $12 million or $20 million is not life-changing, and I'd like to have dinner at your mansion.
The key to winning a lottery jackpot is buying a lottery ticket with the winning numbers on it.
Patience is a virtue when playing the lottery.Winning a lottery jackpot is all about PATIENCE.
Ohhhhhhhhhh Noooooooooooooooooo ................. not self-jinxing !!!!!!!!!!
Merry Xmas to all and I hope someone here win tonight's powerball
You're not the only LP member who will probably feel that way when the next jackpot winner steps forward to claim the prize.
I wish all of the nice people a Merry Christmas ...............
I am hoping for Pennsylvania to get our first Mega Millions Jackpot on Friday !
See one thing about the united states lotteries they will let 1-2 people win when the jackpots are extremely high.
I think the lottery should be divided because they do control it and they know when they want the jackpot to be hit.
I think it will keep rolling as well as the mega millions.
You are absolutely right dude. They control the lottery. They know exactly when to make someone win it. Since this is Christmas, they gonna make it go really high so people could get excited. They might even let someone win it after the new year. That someone can be you, me or anyone hodling a ticket. I don't mind sharing the number that i'm going to play which is 02 07 19 40 51 15. I'm not a greedy person. i don't mind sharing it with others.
If you take a look at MM jackpot history, you'll see that it has grown to over $100 Million every December since 2008 so I'm not surprised to see another one this year - the media jumps all over the huge jackpot and people start spending more than they can afford because they're all hyped up on the possibility of becoming instant megamillionaires.
I spent my usual $3.00 on my two regular set of numbers and one QP - if I win that would be great but I'm certainly not betting the farm on it that's for sure. I truly believe winning is random and If it's for ya, it's for ya no matter what State you live in or how much you spend!
I would like to be Oregon's first mega millions winner for this jackpot on friday. Good luck to me!-weshar75
Wealth is not Greed ........... Wealth is opportunity !
The envy of someone else's Wealth is Greed !
When I win a very large jackpot by myself ........... I will be able to give much larger donations that will have greater impact than smaller donations ..............
I love it when 1 person wins a very large jackpot ............ the Greed of Envy Crowd has a fit ............
I just spent an incredible $2 on quick pics for Friday's Mega Millions ..............
Green with money is the way to go ...............
If a computer drew the numbers like ALOT of the state lotteries id say sure they control it. But with plastic balls tumbling around?
Everybody do not worry i got this one!!
really ? so i've been contributing $6 a wk. to you since the last win.
LOL!!!
Bet your bottom dollar...it won't be won in Maryland or the Virgin Island...
OH NO>>>>>>>>>HERE WE GoooooooooooooooAgain!!!!!!!!
When you use advanced play feature when buying your tickets you avoid the temptation to spend more than$1
per game which is the minimum you need to win it all. Next year I am taking it a notch higher and buying season
tickets so I won't have to spend more than is necessary. Two, five tickets are better than one but after playing for
a long time (8 years) and winning nothing to write home about, you wisen up some
Good luck good luck guys
I just luv to hear people say oh when I I win I will give large donations(which is b.s.) hoping this will help them win. Let me ask u this. If a stranger approached u while u were at say a fast food joint and said " can u buy me. Sandwich because I'm starving"? Would u or have u? I. Didn't think so. Everyone says I will do this and that for others when I win but already have more than others but look down at someone if they asked for a #1 off the value menu. Keep it real.