$370 million jackpot is the game's 12th-largest
By Todd Northrop
Lottery officials announced today that the jackpot for Friday's Mega Millions drawing has been raised from $348 million to $370 million, as a result of rapid sales.
The Mega Millions jackpot has grown since Oct. 26 and has rolled 18 times.
Mega Millions offers two jackpot payment options: the $370 million annuity prize paid out as one immediate payment followed by 29 annual graduated payments, or the cash option, which is $223.2 million.
"A jackpot of $370 million would be life-changing for anyone, and a great way to start the new year," said Arkansas Scholarship Lottery Director Bishop Woosley. "And even if a player doesn't win the jackpot, he can still be a big winner by playing the Megaplier."
Tickets will remain on sale typically until 10:45 pm Eastern Time on Friday, although players should check with a lottery retailer in their state for the exact sales cutoff time. (Every state is different.) Players are strongly advised not to wait until the last minute.
The odds of winning the jackpot are approximately 1 in 302 million. The odds of winning any of the Mega Millions prizes are 1 in 24.
Mega Millions tickets cost $2 each. For an extra $1 per ticket players can purchase the Megaplier option, which multiplies any non-jackpot won by up to 5 times, depending on the Megaplier number drawn that evening.
The only state that does not offer the Megaplier is California, because state law banning fixed lottery prize amounts is not compatible with the fixed nature of the Megaplier payouts.
Lottery players can see an after-tax analysis of the current Mega Millions jackpot by visiting USA Mega's Jackpot Analysis page.
Mega Millions features nine different prize levels, ranging from $2 all the way up to the jackpot. Players can win even if they just match one number — the Mega Ball number.
My target is 2nd prize after tax $500K.....First 5 numbers to match babeh
When PB gets Hit (JP=$40M) Play MM and vice versa!
American retirement plan :-)
PB sadly already has :-(
I always spend the extra dollar...up to $5 million for 2nd place.
Increases on the day of the drawing are a pleasant surprise and a respectable option.
But will it roll ????
I agree on the increase.
Will it roll?
Not if I can help it! 
I hope not!
I just bought some tickets to mail to my Brother for his birthday present--4 weeks worth of MM & PB sans multipliers.
PRO=Please Roll Over...New Jersey bound..watch out Todd!
MM and PB jackpots are ALWAYS won concurrently, so there’s a 0% chance MM will roll, it WILL be won tonight. Get your tickets everyone!
I prefer MM
I am going to pass on tonight's draw, I will play on New Year's Day if it rolls.
had skipped the Christmas draw and bought the single ticket 4 tonight
G2TP and RBR
....just looked up at the afternoon sky, and saw a slight glint at the edge of a cloud formation, then l recall the old saying " every cloud has a silver lining." My question is : Is it for thee or me?
Will the Mega Millions jackpot be won tonight?
I seriously doubt it seeing that Powerball was just won.
Trends show that both tend to be won concurrently.
Read what you posted jj, makes no sense whatsoever.
Well I see JJ's point. We have all won so many back to back mm and pb jackpots, it is difficult to keep the wins straight. If I win any more jackpots, it will be annoying.
I will settle for a cool million myself tonight.-weshar75
Oh no, Artist is thinking like jj.......
What happens if the South Carolina Mega Millions billion dollar jackpot winning ticket is not claimed? Does the money go back into the current jackpot, or used to fund prizes in scratch off tickets?
All of the states that participate get back the money they put in to fund the jackpot and do with it whatever their state’s law say they must.
Not with the numbers that came out tonight. It will roll.
Several 5+0 winners: CA,FL,GA,NJ,PA and WA with megaplier. But it's rolling to $415 million. That puts January 1st 2019 jackpot in the Top 25. Happy New Year!
0%--------->
<----------Mr. Jackpot
Looks like your theory was blown out of the water since she went up to $415 million!
With the exception of PA, coastal states won the secondary prizes!
Happy New Year!
well my friends, it would seem like the MM is off to a healthy start for 2019 jejeje
I say that the MM jackpot will get a bump before the 1/1/19 drawing. It could possibly go to $440 mil.
This is the best time to win. You get almost 16 months of interest on the money you need to pay in taxes by 4/15/2020.
Happy New Year everyone!
TMM I am going with a new revision on the date " Won/one/19"
Lol. Never. Just an imitation of jj since the jackpots are soooo easy to win.
The CA 5/5 winner got $3,231,865
Detailed Draw Results for California
Don't know about other States but Arizona does whatever they Please with our lottery funds, Was designed for school funding but as we found out this last year Legislatures were not using it for that!
I'm going to BET Jackpot will be at least $600, MILLION by Tuesdays Draw!
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!
Hoping Everyone has a Safe and wonderful New Year ;-)
Sounds like a plan CD
I am wondering if the reason that the SC newly minted billionaire(s) May be waiting to claim money until he/she/they have filed 2018 taxes. Just a theory.
East TN has had a lottery jackpot winner, West TN has a lottery jackpot winner. Time for the middle part of the state to have one!!!
If they don't claim until after Jan 1, 2019, they won't have to pay the taxes due on their winnings until April 15, 2020. That's a lot of interest accrued in 14-16 months.
Just imagine the winner having to go into work everyday because they're waiting until after Jan 1 to claim the jackpot.
Don't assume that individuals that play the Lottery live paycheck-to-paycheck and typically have no significant liquid assets.
I know what I could do with it. Regravel my driveway and put sod on the hillsides. Can't stand up ANYWHERE!!
WOW!
How nice!
AND
Here
We
GO!
The CA website can be found at www.calottery.com
WOW! A three million dollar second place winner here in CA. The winning ticket was purchased in Santa Ana. Santa delivered in his Season. Santa Ana is in Orange County. Part of the Los Angeles Metropolitan area.
Amen to that!
Maybe the SC jackpot winner needs time to properly end his/her job commitments. Not all jobs can be ended in 24 hours. If you have invested years of time into a project, you want to see it substantially completed.
I’m absolutely stunned and in disbelief that it rolled and no one won last night. Not even New York City where it’s way too easy to win was able to win. Wow!!!
That is so very true!!! Many lottery players are very well off!
I'll wait another couple MM draws until I buy some MM tickets. Aiming for that 5+0 prize
I wonder if the influx of ticket purchasing is due to the strains of the government shutdown.
Curious22, Your guess is probably better than mine.
My uneducated guess is that MM will be hit on Tuesday night. Hopefully by me!
Powerball isn’t going to roll tonight, it’ll be won by a ticket purchased in NYC.
Yes, lottery terminals are unable to sell losing tickets in NYC. For example if you buy 1,000 MM tickets in NYC you are guaranteed to at least get your $2,000 back.
I trusted you and decided to spend my grandma's life savings on tickets.......I want......my money......Now what am I going to tell my gammy. :(
So, You are not a prophet. PB rolled over. Try doing another line of work.
But....but...JJ is Never wrong...how can that be???? The world must be ending.
Now Music, .... Be nice. JJ the P rinse maybe working through some personal issues during this glorious holiday season. It's obvious by the last couple of posts that with the PB rollover AND no winner from NYC is causing serious stress... Offer a kind word and think how wonderful it is that rationality is on your side.
Thanks, CDanaT, I will be nice from here on. Like my Mom would say," If you do not have anything nice to say then don't say anything at all."
Rationality is not always on my side.
I now know how potential winners feel after losing time after time.
Good Luck with MM on New Year's Day!
jj, It's amazing that you haven't went to NY to buy tickets.
jjtheprince14, Good Luck to you! I hope that you bring in the New Year with a win from Mega Millions. Tuesday night 1/01/2019 Please let us know when you win!
Enjoy the huge celebration in Time's Square, NYC Be safe.
I was recently in New York and I bought lottery tickets and I won nothing!
How is this possible? Whenever I went I purchased tickets and won my $ back. Had a few $10 winner lines.
Seriously though, there are some players in NY who are actually sick and tired of winning & would probably even welcome a losing ticket here and there.
If they came to my state and bought tickets, they’d lose A LOT that’s for sure.
MM Jackpot increased to $425 MILLION for 1/1/19.
I am not one of them. Winning is like an orgasm. You just want it again and again. Lol
jj,
Considering many of your posts how can it be that you went to NY to play and did not win a jackpot?
Me either
"Just imagine the winner having to go into work everyday because they're waiting until after Jan 1 to claim the jackpot."
Even David Lee Edwards could have gotten at least enough of a loan to go without a paycheck for 3 months once he had a winning ticket as collateral.
"MM is easier to win in NYC than in other places? You'll have to explain that one."
If you'd been around a bit longer you'd understand. JJ disappears for a while now and then, so you may not have seen a lot of his output. When he does post his posts tend to concentrate on one of two themes, both related to the ease or difficulty of winning.
"Winning is like an orgasm."
Either you win a lot more than most people or
Mega Millions Jackpot Was Won In New York State Last Night. You Are Right, It Is Easier To Win The Lottery In New York City.
Not only was the jackpot for MM won in NY State, but NY had 3 - 5/5 winners for $1 mil as well!
TMM, I take it that the winner was not you ?
I’m not too sure. Last time I was there I bought 5 MM tickets and won $26 though. Two lines won $10 and the other three won $2, which is not bad at all. I should have bought 50 tickets lol.
Told ya the MM winner would be from the state of New York.
Players in New York are actually sick and tired of winning so much.
Correct again CD. It was not me...... again!
I should only be so lucky to get this sickness!
I would be (sick)
and (tired)
I'm glad when anybody wins it anywhere, even if it's not me.
The jackpot amount to start an outburst of fantasy land fever is getting higher and higher but at least this time people didn't break out their 'when I win' cyber rolodexes and post pics of mansions, estates, high end cars, yachts, Lear jets, etc...that they'll but with money they haven't won (and mor than likely won't).
You mean you do not want to see a pic of my future Parisian home? Lol
Nope, and I won't post a pic of my planned yurt in Bottineau, ND.
Lol. Saw yurts on tiny homes. Terrible idea.
every type of home has it's own charms, just as mine will
New York did not win any jackpots in 2018 so you figure that they were due. There were only five winning tickets last year and no shared jackpots.
No Mega Millions jackpot winners from So Cal since April 2017 so the Southland is due. And no one in Southern California has won the Powerball since 2016. We are due.
Ummmm...I am missing the charm aspect there. Lol. Clash of multiple styles. I 'd take the yurt.
That is the gambler's fallacy that things are "due", just like "hot" and "cold" numbers, that's irrelevant. Winners are independently random.
The winners of powerball played its numbers in a gas station in Brooklyn. That person selected its own numbers just like the powerball winner in Harlem New York. The mega-million was won in Long Island and that person picked his or her numbers too. So honestly the powers to be didn't pick winners and losers since these three winners in the state of New York picked their own numbers.
For those who don't like yurts how about a wickiup