DES MOINES, Iowa — No one in the United States hit the $940 million Mega Millions lottery jackpot, so the next jackpot will grow to an estimated $1.1 billion in Tuesday night’s drawing.
The award is the third highest in US history.
For just over two months, there have been 24 draws without a winner, increasing the pot.
The new grand prize of US$1.1 billion will be paid out annually to the winner over a period of 29 years. However, the big jackpot winners usually take the cash option, which in Tuesday night’s drawing will be valued at approximately $568.7 million USD.
“Mega Millions just hit the $1 billion mark. It’s especially good to see the jackpot grow throughout the holidays and into the new year,” Pat McDonald, director of the Ohio Lottery and Senior Director of the Mega Millions Consortium, said in a statement released early Saturday. “As jackpot winnings increase, we encourage our players to stick to their entertainment budget and enjoy this jackpot with us.”
The only jackpots Mega $1 million in jackpots larger than Tuesday’s draw were the $1.53 billion jackpot in South Carolina in 2018 and the $1.33 billion jackpot in Illinois in 2018 July, the release said.
The Mega Millions lottery attracted more customers ahead of Friday night’s draw, said Elia Cozza, assistant manager of the Buscemi store in Livonia, Michigan. The US$940 million prize pool was announced prominently in the store.
The Mega Millions lottery is available in 45 US states as well as the Washington area and the US Virgin Islands.
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