The Mega Millions jackpot has risen to an estimated $720 million after no winning ticket was sold — again. It’s now one of two national lotteries with enormous jackpots but equally enormous odds against winning them.
No ticket for Tuesday’s Mega Millions drawing matched the white balls 19-22-31-37-54 Mega Ball: 18 Megaplier: 4x
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The new jackpot is Mega Million's 7th largest-ever, the lottery said in a news release. On Monday, the nation’s other big lottery game — Powerball — also went without a winner, and its jackpot now stands at an estimated $1 billion, the third-largest ever for that game.
For Mega Millions, the estimated $720 million jackpot in the next drawing would only be distributed to a winner who chooses an annuity paid over 29 years. Nearly all grand prize winners opt to take a cash payout, which for Tuesday night’s drawing was an estimated $369.6 million.
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The largest-ever Mega Millions jackpot was $1.537 billion won by an anonymous player in South Carolina on Oct. 23, 2018.
Despite the game’s long odds of 1 in 302.6 million, players continue to purchase tickets as the size of the grand prize grows.
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The last time a Mega Millions player hit the top prize was April 18.
Mega Millions is played in 45 states as well as in Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
