Tonight's Mega Millions jackpot a cool $200 million

By Mike Morris

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

What could you do with $200 million? That's the jackpot for tonight's Mega Millions drawing.

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Phil Skinner, pskinner@ajc.com Dennis Sutton shows off the big $5 million check he received for his World Class Millions lottery win.

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Phil Skinner, pskinner@ajc.com Rydal chicken farmer Dennis Sutton collects his $ 5 million Georgia Lottery prize at the Kroger off Cherokee Street in Kennesaw. He purchased his winning World Class Millions instant game ticket at the store. The humble farmer says that he plans to pay off all his bills and may consider retiring. An even bigger lotter prize is up for grabs tonight in the $200 million Mega Millions drawing.

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A single player matching all six numbers would receive approximately $7.6 million a year, before taxes,  for 26 years with the annuity option, or with the cash option, a single check worth an estimated $127 million before taxes.

The jackpot hit the $200 million mark after no one matched all six numbers in Tuesday night's drawing.

One ticket sold in Georgia matched the first five numbers drawn Tuesday night -- 17, 31, 34, 45 and 51, but not the "Mega Ball" of 24. That ticket is worth $250,000.

The jackpot for the multistate game has been climbing steadily since Sept. 1, when a Coweta County man matched all numbers and won $12 million.

In addition to Georgia, Mega Millions is played in Virginia, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Texas, California and Washington state.

There have been 12 Mega Millions jackpot winning tickets purchased in Georgia since the game began in 2002, lottery officials said.