Millions and millions of tickets sold, but no one managed to pick the right combination of numbers in the multi-state Mega Millions lottery game. The $200 million dollars up for grabs in Tuesday night's game went without a top winner, hiking the jackpot to $250 million for Friday.
But 13 people in eight states came awfully close, matching five of the six winning numbers. Each of those tickets is worth $250,000.
The second-place tickets were sold in California (2), Georgia (2), Maryland, Michigan, New York (3), Ohio(2), Texas, and Virginia.
Unline the other eleven Mega Millions states, the California second-place winners each won $415,630, due to California's pari-mutuel prize structure, in which the prize is calculated based on the number of tickets sold, combined with the number of winners.
The winning numbers were: 13, 24, 44, 48, 52 and the Mega Ball was 30. The Texas Megaplier was 4.
The next drawing is Friday.
California was the 12th state to join the multistate game several weeks ago, adding 36 million potential players and boosting the prizes. At the same time, the odds of taking home the grand prize increased from one in 135 million to one in 175 million.
Players pick five numbers between 1 and 56 and a Mega Ball number between 1 and 46. Players used to pick between 1 and 52 for all six numbers. Also new: Jackpots start at $12 million, up from $10 million.
The Mega Millions jackpot has not been this large for more than a year, when a $290 million jackpot was won on July 2, 2004 by a Massachusetts cleaning woman.
mega millions only went up 20%.........
i have a history of mega goes above $125, it starts climbing 30% higher ......................
gas price must be cause it period.......................
The $250,000,000 advertised jackpot is 1,000 times greater than second prize!
I can hardly imagine right now what I'd do with 250,000, not to mention 250 million!
Glad to see those CA people hitting the list. Maybe it will encourage others to spend big. Its time to fill the truck, I need the increase California is supposed to provide.
That is alot for one person WOW 250,000,000.00
xmas everyday especially the Katrina victims.
Comeon baby! Make it a Great Friday for moi
i want more like 1/2 billion also the cash is at100 million i have seen the same states win 2nd pz don't other states have luck
Hello all. Well, I drove over a hour and a half to buy my Mega Million tickets. I even got a friend to ride with me. Not that the drive was bad it was the night before I was so sick and throwing up. My head was blasting but at 7 am I crawled out of bed and went anyhow. Then, got 3 miles down the road and realized I had forgot my map. I turned around. Boss called my cell phone and said I had to open the store for him. Delayed another 2 hours! after all that I spent $30 and won $7. Still sick and my family is laughing and making fun at me! My friend didn't say what she spent but what ever it was she lost it all. So Chewie, we here in KY are doing our part to "fill up the truck". I hope I am the gal driving the loaded truck at the end of this run! Good luck to you all, but I'm holding the truck keys (NOT) LOL
I'm playing online, I used to travel an hour one way to go and get tickets but the service fee for the online games is cheaper. Save your money and play online. Besides, I would like to see two things:
1. A winner from LotteryPost for this jackpot
2. A winner from Prime Ticket Service
I wonder if Todd won would he close this website down? hehe. Good luck all, Cheers.
Keep in mind that $250,000,000 is paid over 26 annual payments, and is before a big chunk is given to Uncle Sam.
How does this rank as the Highest jackpots go 4th, 5th, 6th, etc.
jimmy:
I still won't take annuity. I'd hate to see someone in NY or TX hit on a "26 annual payments" ticket, since they CANNOT change their mind if they win.
$363 m in May 2000
$325 m in April 2002
$290 m July 2004
$250 m Sept 2005
$230 m in Feb 2004
$208 m April 2005
Currently the fourth largest jackpot offered. Lets break $300m !!!!!!
Brad
Yes, it's also the 2nd highest Mega Millions jackpot ever, trailing only the $294 million won last summer by Geraldine Williams, the Lowell, Mass. janitor and housecleaner.
Please help, I think the only way to win lotto is too not be excited about it.... LOL. Seriously, have you ever heard the winners stories. It goes something like this.
"I just got back from vaction, two weeks in Aruba and I forgot I purchased a ticket" or
"I forgot to check my tickets from a couple of weeks ago then I heard someone won" or
"I just bought one ticket with some gas & milk because I was bored and won $250 mil, cool"
LOL... I know it seems funny but most stories I read follow something like that were the winners are far less interested in Lotto than you and I in here. Cheers,