The largest lotto jackpot in history — a half-billion dollars — will be offered Friday in the Mega Millions lottery, played in Washington state and 43 other jurisdictions.
No player had all six numbers, 09-19-34-44-51 and Mega Ball 24, in Tuesday’s drawing, so the $356 million jackpot will roll over.
If business is brisk in the 42 states, District of Columbia and U.S. Virgin Islands in which Mega Millions is played, the current estimated $500 million jackpot could rise by Friday at 7:45 p.m., when the game closes.
To win, a ticket must hit the five numbers plus the Mega Ball sixth number. Those odds are one in 176 million, say Washington State Lottery officials.The estimated lump-sum cash value of Friday’s jackpot is $359 million.
The latter option would allow the winner to walk away with $359 million before taxes instead of receiving about $19 million annually for 26 years.
