ST. LOUIS (AP) — Mega Millions has upped the stakes by another $100 million.
The lack of a jackpot winner in the final draw of the lottery game on Friday night boosted the top prize to an estimated $820 million.
The numbers drawn late on Friday were: 29, 40, 47, 50, 57 and Gold Mega Ball 25. No tickets were sold that reached all those numbers for the estimated $720 million grand prize.
The estimated $820 million in Tuesday night’s next drawing would only be awarded to a winner who chooses an annuity paid over 29 years. Nearly all of the grand prize winners are opting to cash out, which is estimated to be $422 million for Tuesday’s drawing.
The potential jackpot is the fifth largest in the game’s history, Mega Millions said in a statement early Saturday.
Despite the game’s long odds of 1 in 302.6 million, players continue to purchase tickets as the grand prize increases.
The last time a Mega Millions player won the top prize was on April 18.
Friday’s draw resulted in eight tickets matching five white balls for a $1 million prize. Two of each were sold in Florida, New Jersey and North Carolina, one in California and one in Michigan, Mega Millions said.
The Powerball jackpot also approached record levels before a small convenience store in downtown Los Angeles sold the winning lottery ticket for Wednesday’s drawing, valued at an estimated $1.08 billion.
Mega Millions is played in 45 states, Washington, DC and the US Virgin Islands.
