Record $1 Billion Mega Millions Jackpot Up For Grabs In Friday Drawing
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) – The Mega Millions jackpot crossed the $1 billion mark ahead of Friday night's drawing, making it the second-largest jackpot in lottery history.
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The jackpot has been growing since it was last won in July in California. The previous record was $656 million, shared by winners in three states in 2012.
While no one won the jackpot in Tuesday's drawing, nine people came pretty close. There was one $5 million ticket sold, and eight people won $1 million, including one in Elmont on Long Island and one in Morris County, New Jersey.
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Lottery officials changed the game last year -- tickets went form one dollar to two. The jackpots got bigger, but your odds got smaller.
While the annuity payout of Friday's jackpot has crossed the billion-dollar threshold, the cash value is upwards of $565 million. So what's your chance of winning?
Experts say it's close to one in 302 million, meaning you're a whopping 80 times more likely to be killed by a shark. Still, the New York State Lottery says there have been 36 New York Mega Millions jackpot winners since 2002.
Whoever wins will be claiming the second-largest jackpot in lottery history. In 2016, Powerball reached about 1.5 billion and was split by three winners.
Speaking of Powerball, that jackpot is now about $430 million. And with more people entering, the numbers are expected to keep climbing ahead of Saturday's drawing.
Friday night's winning Mega Millions numbers were 15, 23, 53, 65, 70, with Yellow Mega Ball 7.
Didn't win? Don't feel too bad. According to one mathematics professor, the odds of striking it filthy rich were about the same as rolling a die and getting one 11 times in a row.
