By Todd Northrop
The multi-state Mega Millions lottery game once again enters the spotlight, as lottery players across the United States will vie for a Mega-jackpot Tuesday that promises to radically change one lucky winner's life.
After nobody won Friday night's Mega Millions drawing, the $201 million jackpot 'rolled over', and the new estimate for Tuesday's drawing is a massive $241 million.
The cash value — the most important factor for many jackpot-watchers — stands at a staggering $170.9 million.
Tuesday's Mega Millions jackpot is the accumulation of 15 consecutive drawings without a top prize winner. The current jackpot run-up started on Jan. 27 as a $12 million grand prize.
Players should note that jackpot amounts are conservative estimates provided by the lotteries, and are often somewhat higher by the time the drawing occurs.
In the latest Mega Millions drawing that took place this past Friday night, there was no jackpot winner, but 7 lucky players matched the first 5 numbers for a $250,000 prize: 3 from California, 2 from New York, and 2 from Texas.
The 3 California winners will each be awarded prizes of $326,163, because California awards all prizes in a pari-mutuel formula, which calculates the prize amount based on the number of tickets sold and the number of winners in each prize category.
The Friday Mega Millions winning numbers were 28, 29, 43, 51, and 53, with a Mega Ball number of 7. The Megaplier was 3.
Players who purchase the Megaplier for an extra $1 per ticket can have their non-jackpot prizes multiplied by the Megaplier number drawn that evening. For example, for Friday night's drawing, players who purchased the Megaplier and won a $10,000 prize would have their prize multiplied by 3, and would win $30,000.
After it was determined that there were no jackpot-winning tickets in Friday's drawing, the Mega Millions annuity jackpot estimate was raised $41 million from its previous amount of $200 million. The cash value was raised by $25.5 million, from its previous amount of $145.4 million.
The next Mega Millions drawing will take place Tuesday evening at 11:00 pm EDT.
Mega Millions is currently offered for sale in 42 states, plus Washington, D.C. and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
For a complete set of game descriptions, results, history, and all questions regarding Mega Millions, lottery players are encouraged to visit USA Mega (www.usamega.com), a Web site that caters to the Unites States's two multi-state lottery games, Powerball and Mega Millions.
The Mega Millions winning numbers will be published at USA Mega minutes after the 11:00 pm EDT drawing.
Sounds good!!
Tuesday is such a long time away, I believe I will simply be the sole winner of tonight's powerball drawing instead... either that or someone from Rhode Island will win. :)
It will have been worth the wait. I know have another 41 million reasons to celebrate on Tuesday evening. Thanks everybody for your
generous contributions. You shouldn't have.....really.
$241 Million sounds good to me....
I can live with it.
241 sounds good for today mebbe 412 hmmm... well if i can't win the jackpot i guess i'll settle for a pick 3, str8!
Alrighty then. Let's do it! $241/$171 looks like a lucky number for someone. Good luck everyone!
Looking forward to Tuesday. I'm leaving Florida on Monday morning to head home to Chicago. I have a friend who buys me tickets every ten drawings for Mega Millions and mails them to me since they don't play it here. I play the same numbers. Since I'm driving back I'm going to buy two quick picks in every state I pass through on the drive back so I'll hit it up in GA, TN, KY, IN and then I'll grab two quick picks in IL to go along with my regular numbers so I'll be an $11.00 donator this drawing. It would make for a great story if I won on one of my road quick picks.....well, at least for me.
Gonna cash in my $3 winner and hope to be the big winner on Tuesday
and I'd like to thank you all for you kindly given donations .....
special thanks to those spending $5 + dollars a play
Well, here we go!
At least $111,000,000 after taxes here in Pennsylvania!
Good luck to all. May your dreams come true. As for me, only 2 tickets....
Good luck to everyone.
Way to go! $3 is better than $0!
I hope that you have 5 numbers on Tuesday!
I am going to go "Green" the conservative way ............ with money!
I don't plan on spending any more money than usual for Tuesday's big win .....................
may the blessed saints preserve us all if rdg or psykomo wins
Yes $241 million dollars is alot of money, however we all know because the lottery is rigged they will have 1 winning ticket in either california or ny.
Wasn't the last winner from Georgia ????....let me check...YEEEUP, sure was.... gotta remain positive and believe
Please, Please, ........Please.....let it be RI just one more time!!! That "little" state deserves a "big" break.
Nothin will be rigged if that happens, just good old fashioned Rhodie Karma.
I'm already there!
(Rhode Island 95 South into oncoming traffic)
Mac, have you been playing out on 93 0r 95 AGAIN ????..... stop, go to the nearest store, pick the right numbers, then share with meee
SH*T!! Just checking my pockets CD, NO CASH on me.
Let me see if I can bum some money from some of these nice motorists, I'll get back
to you with those lucky numbers.
Gatta run now. 
Have you ever considered the idea that you may be "rigged"?
I won $3 so I will take that and add it to my other money and buy 3 ex tra tickets for next draw..I am claiming it NOW!!
Good Luck everyone!!
I hope your right about that winning ticket.
Good luck RedStang!, hope NY produces a "rigged" winner.
LOL true
Wait a minute, isn't that where Dorothy was from? The Wizard of Oz couldn't pull it off back in "36", but I think your time is due now Kansas!!!
Kansas has ruined their karma by not making Toto their official state dog. What were they thinking.
Well,jump in your car and drive to Georgia.They have more than their share of winners.
C'mon TRP..... Go visit a relative in another state and get an advance play ticket like I do...or have them buy one with advanced draws for ya....I am sure you have trustworthy relations someplace that sells the MM, well, maybe not from NJ in construction.
That's a lot of money! I'll take some but all of it is just too much. Imagine....wow.
Maybe too much for you,but I haven't seen a jackpot that was too much for me.The more the better!
I would like to win this one for Oregon and thank all the little people who bought tickets along the way. For making this jackpot the best it could be for me to win. Yes! I think that it is Oregon's time to have another jackpot and mega millions is it. Thank you oh yes thank you no no thank you!-weshar75
Too bad with Florida not having any state taxes owed. You could drive to georgia, but not sure if you would owe them state taxes on the winnings.
Thanks All, but not driving to Georgia from Orlando with these gas prices. Did I mention that I hate this $2.00 Powerball? MM is a better buy with a better cash option.
I agree that MegaMillions is the best bang for your buck.I look for Powerball to rethink their decision to double the price of a ticket.
Mega is the better game payout wise to boot. I'm happy to be heading home to Chicago as that's the game I prefer. I don't like paying two dollars for a ticket, it's nonsense.
Not saying this or the PB jackpot is mine but when an LP blogger wins let's make the agreement that he/she will pay homage to HRH Todd and the LP Royal Family. We don't have to know who you are on here but just want to know that one of us finally HIT BIG!!!!
Deal?
Could be that since MUSL took charge of both games, they are no longer competitors but seeking different markets. If the MM sales increased and sales amounts of PB stayed the same with the higher price and PB eventually have larger jackpots which will attract both markets then it's a win-win situation for MUSL.
time for a little road trip to delaware to buy that winning ticket
I think I'm gonna play about 20 qp's have my family each fill out a couple tickets then I'm gonna play my favs and try to play some high % numbers as well. I want this one bad. If I win, Everyone at LP gets a scratchie book on me
When did MUSL take charge of mega?
We are dreamers inluding me too.
We need good luck to be the winner.
Wishing Good Luck to all of us
Connecticut guys hit for the big one late last year, then the old lady from Rhode Island hit it last month.
Next stop; Massachusetts.
I'm waiting to see what happens.
If I take the annuity option can I avoid state tax if I move out of the country for the rest of the payments?
That would be a resounding ,"NO"......gotta pay state taxes where you bought the ticket from unless that state has no state taxes
I think it's when they came to the agreement to let states sell both games.
So if I win 200 million but take the annuity option and move to Switzerland I have to pay the state I purchased the ticket in for 25/26 years???? Some states on the East Coast are making out like a bandit on all these lottery wins
That is correct...If the state you bought the ticket in has state income tax on lottery winnings, then you have to pay state AND federal income tax over the life of the annuity AND file a state income tax return & federal income tax return each and every year of the annuity...That's why the cash option means you only pay the feds one time and the state one time for the tax year
I wonder if you can save on taxes this way.
You take the annuity option.
Part of that payment is interest.
Interest is accrued when you are in Switzerland not your state.
The perfect storm would be the ticket to be SOLD in MA and PURCHSED by a RI'er!
Just take the cash and run. Forget the annuity.
Annuity = bad choice #1 for a jackpot winner.
AGREED!!!!
Would it be a bad thing if an LP member won and everyone knew who they were?
You think that person would be hounded with inbox messages?