Mega Millions Jackpot Increases To $640 Million
ATLANTA (CBSDFW.COM/AP) - Lottery officials say they are increasing the Mega Millions lottery jackpot to $640 million, raising what was already a world-record prize.
The jackpot had stood at $540 million before Friday's announcement. The previous record jackpot was $390 million in 2007.
In a one hour period, between 9:00 and 10:00 a.m, some $1.15 million in Mega Million tickets were sold.
The drawing for the fortune is set for 1o p.m. Texas time.
The odds of winning the jackpot had been set at about 1 in 176 million.
Friday, a CBS 11 News crew actually ran into people who had never played the lottery. If you fall into that category, here are the basics for Mega Millions -- pick five numbers, between 1 and 56, from the first pool on the top section of the card, then choose one number, between 1 and 46. There's also the Easy Pick option to let the computer choose the numbers.
Mega Millions has drawn long lines of lottery players in Texas stores and the other 41 states plus Washington, D.C., and the Virgin Islands where tickets are sold. The world-record jackpot has also lured some residents to travel to other states to buy $1 tickets.
(©2012 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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