Mega Millions soars to $1.28 billion jackpot: What to know for Friday's drawing
FILE - Mega Millions lottery tickets sit inside a convenience store. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
No one won the $830 Mega Millions jackpot Tuesday, allowing the jackpot to skyrocket to an astounding $1.28 billion for the next drawing set for Friday.
The winning numbers Tuesday were 07-29-60-63-66, Mega Ball: 15, Megaplier: 3, and according to the Florida Lottery, a ticket sold in Florida won $1 million for matching five of the numbers.
Here are the answers to frequently asked questions ahead of the next Mega Millions drawing.
What time is the Mega Millions drawing?
The next Mega Millions' jackpot drawing is Friday, July 29, 2022 at 11 p.m. ET.
How much is the jackpot?
Friday's jackpot has soared to $1.28 billion, with a cash option of $747.2 million. Friday’s Mega Millions jackpot is the second-highest prize in the game’s history, as currently estimated. It also stands as the nation’s third-largest lottery prize ever.
Lottery officials say the game's jackpot began at $20 million and has been rolling over since the April 19 drawing, based on game sales and interest rates, and will continue to do so until all six numbers are matched.
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When is the deadline to buy a ticket in Florida?
Floridians have until 10 p.m. ET. the night of the drawing to purchase a ticket, according to the Florida Lottery's website. (Therefore, you have until 10 p.m. Friday, July 29, to buy a ticket for the latest drawing.)
Tickets purchased after 10 p.m. will be for the next drawing.
How to play the Mega Millions game?
Buy a ticket or tickets from a Florida Lottery retailer – basically any store authorized to sell Florida Lottery games.
They are $2 each, and players can add a Megaplier for $1 more per play to increase their non-jackpot winnings by up to five times.
Players can either pick up a Mega Millions payslip and select five numbers from 1 through 70 to play, and a Mega Ball number from 1 to 25 – or pick a quick pick ticket and let a terminal randomly choose the numbers.
How to win the Mega Millions game?
A player's ticket must match all five numbers of the white balls and the number of the yellow Mega Ball during Tuesday's drawing to win the jackpot.
Those who match the five white balls only will win $1 million and if the player's ticket includes the Megaplier, they could win up to $5 million.
Those who win any Mega Millions prize, must claim it within 180 days in the state where the ticket was purchased, however jackpot prizes must be claimed within 60 days of the winning jackpot draw to receive the cash option.
(NOTE: According to the Florida Lottery's website: "All MEGA MILLIONS prizes are set payouts, except the jackpot. The jackpot prize will be shared among all jackpot winning plays in all MEGA MILLIONS states. The jackpot will be paid in 30 graduated annual payments or a one-time cash payment of a reduced amount. If there is no jackpot winner, the money in the jackpot pool rolls over to the next MEGA MILLIONS drawing.")
May the odds be in your favor.