By Todd Northrop
Players of the Mega Millions multi-state lottery have an even better reason to rush out and buy some tickets before tonight's drawing.
The grand prize for tonight's Mega Millions drawing has been raised to $200 million from the previous estimate of $196 million, established after nobody won Friday's top prize.
The lump-sum cash value of tonight's jackpot has also been raised to $127.3 Million.
Officially raising a jackpot estimate before a drawing is rare, and only happens as a result of higher-than-expected sales.
Lotteries draw upon historical sales volumes to conservatively estimate upcoming jackpots. Sometimes high-profile jackpots can exceed those estimates, enough that the lottery officially re-estimates the upcoming grand prize amount.
The winning numbers for tonight's Mega Millions lottery drawing will be published at USA Mega (www.usamega.com) minutes after the drawing takes place at 11:00 PM Eastern Time.
it is best decision made by the mega million,surely players have now a golden a chance to win $ 200 Million.
surely it's tonight or never!
do not hestitate this is the moment! go go and go claim your tickets for your chance to finnish 2010 in the most stylish manner!
Good Luck.
I'm throwing in an extra $10.00...good luck all.
MINE MINE MINE!!!!!
$200.0 millions has a much nicer sound than $196.0 millions or even $199.9 millions and for some players the point where they will buy extra tickets.
I might have to grab some extra tickets.
its just over 82 million atfer 35% max red rate
wow, what to do with all that cash sitting in a bank account
sweet dreams of are of that! long as the person can say no to ever request, LOL
hope they stay hidden for their own good
It only take one dollar to win it all, i normally spend $100 every drawing for the past 5 years and have not won a dime!I noticed that most people who win rarely play and win with 1 dollar no more than 5 dollars a drawing or join a lottery group.
really to learn to learn that after playing for 5 years without a win!
But do not Forget:
"A winner is a looser who never Won"
i normally spend $100 every drawing for the past 5 years and have not won a dime!
That's believable as saying I've spent $1 every drawing for the past 5 years and won several 2nd prizes and a jackpot.
If you're going to lie at least make it some what believable like I've spent $100 every drawing for the past 5 years and never matched more than a 0+1 for $3
Let me get something straight here, the most i have one is $10 on occasions, i have no reason to lie. I truly do spend $100 on a average per drawing.I own a dry cleaning business that allows me to have extra cash to spend on the lottery, i dont have kids and my wife is retired navy.
Yes, $200 million dollars, even after taxes, is a nice windfall. However, I would be grateful for $1 million or even $5 million dollars, since I am not married, I am retired with no debt, I have no children, and no sisters or brothers. People have asked me, "how did you plan your life so well?" My response, "my choice -- and you, too, had the same choices" -- with the exception of the siblings -- in which you had no choice. You can choose your friends, but you can't choose your relatives!
Just went out and picked up $10 worth, let's hope tonight's the night.
I totally agree with you! I picked up two tickets. Can't wait to claim my prize in the morning...I've got a feeling!
I'm only fine with that if there's two winners and I'm the other one.
Let it grow, let it grow, let it grow....
According to USAMega, this Friday's jackpot will be $237.0 Millions.
just over 150m cash, sweet lord these jackpots are rare, if this was powerball cash, it be marketed as 300m plus already LOL
98m atfer 35% max fed tax,
am sure they find a few more millions in sales and boost numbers again like what happened on this story maybe to boot,
and the drawing happening right on 31st !
at 11pm 1 hour before new years!, someone could start 2011 off with a hell of a win, what a party nite
and god forbid it keeps rolling past that , could we be seeing a record jackpot in early 2011? maybe,
we could see easy a 200m cash jackpot next roll, thats how fast it flys up once the public see's 300m plus Annuity
Why? Some folks don't even play when the Jackpot is $12 Million, so why buy additional tickets just because the Jackpot increase by 4 Million?
I didn't know that Mega Millions jumps up the grand prize.
I never doubted your story about spending over $50,000 on MegaMillion tickets in five years, it was saying "have not won a dime!" is what I found impossible to believe. Now that you've changed your story to "the most I have one(won) is $10", it's a little more believable.