Winning Mega Millions numbers pulled for Friday's $1.28 billion drawing
NEW YORK -- The Mega Millions jackpot swelled past the $1 billion mark after no one won on Wednesday, so anyone who bought a ticket for Friday night's drawing had a chance at winning the second-largest jackpot in Mega Millions history.
The winning numbers are: 13-36-45-57-67, Mega Ball: 14.
Right now, the cash prize stands at $1.28 billion.
What are the odds? Well, back in 2017 Mega Millions changed the rules, increasing the number of gold mega balls from 15 to 25. That increased the odds of winning the jackpot from one in 259 million to one in 302 million.
But that's not stopping people from rolling the dice. CBS2's Zinnia Maldonado caught up with people buying tickets first thing Friday morning, and one customer said he plays every week.
"If you don't play, you don't win. So that's why I play," he said. "If I do win, I'm probably going to take my time, as far as what I'm going to do with the money, and invest it most likely, not change my life too much."
There must be some luck in our area. During Tuesday's drawing, a $1 million winning ticket was sold at a Staten Island store. Someone matched the first five numbers in the drawing, missing only the mega ball.
There were two other $1 million winners in New Jersey.
Watch Zinnia Maldonado's report
If you do happen to match all six numbers, you have two options: the $1 billion paid annually over 30 years, or the cash up front, which is still about $470 million.
Harlem resident Ralph Lopez told CBS2's Alecia Reid he wouldn't mind the smaller sum.
"I'll take $300 [million]," he said. "Get some property, of course, some vehicles, some toys, you know, but yeah, put some away for a rainy day. Hopefully I'll have some left over."
Unlike Lopez, some players think they'll need long-term professional help.
"Accountant, double accountant, double lawyers," Harlem resident Greg Nelson said.
Wodajo Mogues used $20 that he found to buy tickets.
"I don't need that kind of money ... Donate it, everything," he said.
The New York Islanders have a similar plan. The team purchased 25,000 tickets with the intention of giving back to the Islanders Children's Foundation, season ticket holders and staff. Winnings below $250,000 will go solely to the foundation.
While there is a lot of excitement around Friday night's drawing, cybersecurity experts are warning consumers about scams like bogus websites claiming to sell Mega Millions tickets and texting scams promising a lotto windfall.
The most common scam, according to digital safety company Aura, is being told you won the jackpot either over the phone or via text.
"In those scams, they're asked to maybe make kind of pre-payment, you know, pay your taxes up front or give us a temporary payment in exchange for a much bigger payment later, and of course, the temporary payment is made, but the bigger payment never shows up," Aura chief scientist Zulfikar Ramzan said.
If you want to get a Mega Millions ticket, you have to go to an authorized retailers, and if you are a lucky winner, you will never be asked to pay anything up front.
