Mega Millions lotto jackpot reaches $450M before Friday's drawing
DES MOINES, Iowa - The jackpot for the Mega Millions lottery game has climbed to $450 million, just hours before the drawing. The top prize was raised ahead of the drawing Friday night.
Lottery officials also increased the jackpot of Powerball, the other national lottery game, to $570 million. That drawing will be Saturday night.
The jackpots refer to the annuity options for both games, in which payments are made over 29 years. Most winners opt for cash options, which would be $281 million for Mega Millions and $358.5 million for Powerball.
The odds of winning the Mega Millions jackpot is one in 302.5 million. Powerball has odds of one in 292.2 million.
Both games are played in 44 states plus Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Puerto Rico also participates in Powerball.
The average American spends about $200 a year on lottery tickets, although residents of some states spend far more. According to a study by LendEDU, the average Massachusetts resident spends $735 annually on lottery tickets, while those in Delaware or New York are likely spending about $400 a year, or $33 per month.