Mega Millions Lottery Jackpot: Most common numbers in drawings

CHICAGO (CBS) -- The Mega Millions jackpot is currently $685 million--or about $348 million in a whopping lump sum payment.

Yes, you could play your kids' birthdays, or your anniversary, or some similar combination.

But with more than half a billion dollars on the line, some research might be in order. After taxes, according to lottostrategies, a single Illinois winner could collect about $244 million after taxes. (This number is based on Friday's midday jackpot figures, which could still grow before Friday night's drawing.) 

According to USA Mega, here are the most common numbers drawn based on the past 100 drawings: 38, 15, 64, 7, 11

The most common Mega Ball is 24.

For those who are looking for the least common numbers: 49, 10, 70, 65, 57

The least common Mega ball is 7. 

Of course choosing your numbers or relying on the machine to pick them does not change your odds of winning the jackpot. which are 1 in 302,575,350.  For comparison, you have about a 1 in 2 million chance of getting attacked by a bear, according to the National Park Service. 

There was no jackpot winner in the Tuesday Mega Millions drawing, but 5 lucky players matched the first 5 numbers for a $1,000,000 prize.