Mega Millions jackpot grows to $965 million for Friday’s drawing
The Mega Millions jackpot has grown to $965 million for Friday’s drawing after no ticket matched all six numbers, according to lottery officials.
The numbers selected Tuesday night were 10, 13, 40, 42 and 46, with the gold Mega Ball 1.
A winner can choose an annuity or the cash option — a one-time, lump-sum payment of $445.3 million before taxes. If there are multiple jackpot winners, the prize is shared.
There were four Mega Millions jackpot wins earlier this year, but Friday’s drawing will be the 40th since the last win on June 27, a game record, officials said.
In September, two Powerball players in Missouri and Texas won a nearly $1.8 billion jackpot, one of the largest in the U.S. The current Mega Millions jackpot isn't among the top 10 U.S. lottery jackpots ever but would be the eighth-largest for Mega Millions since the game began in 2002.
Where does the money go?
Tickets are $5 each and are sold in 45 states, Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Half the proceeds from each Mega Millions ticket remains in the jurisdiction where the ticket was sold. Local lottery agencies run the game in each jurisdiction and how profits are spent is dictated by law.
What are the odds of winning?
The odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 290,472,336, but the odds of winning any Mega Millions prize are 1 in 23.
What is problem gambling?
The National Council on Problem Gambling defines problem gambling as “gambling behavior that is damaging to a person or their family, often disrupting their daily life and career.”
It is sometimes called gambling addiction or gambling disorder, a recognized mental health diagnosis. The group says anyone who gambles can be at-risk.
Its National Problem Gambling Helpline, 1-800-522-4700, connects anyone seeking assistance with a gambling problem to local resources.
