Mega Millions players spurned again as jackpot climbs to $1.55 billion
A billboard over Interstate 80 displays a Mega Millions lottery jackpot of $1.25 billion, Thursday, Aug. 3, 2023, in Lodi, N.J. The odds of winning a $1.25 billion Mega Millions jackpot Friday night are infinitesimally small, but that doesn't stop players from some mighty big daydreams of what they would do if they won the giant prize. (AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey)
Another Mega Millions drawing, another night without a jackpot winner.
The numbers drawn Friday night were: 11, 30, 45, 52, 56 and the gold ball 20.
Because no one matched all six numbers and won the estimated $1.35 billion jackpot, the top prize increased to $1.55 billion for the next drawing Tuesday night.
There now have been 31 straight drawings without a jackpot winner. The last time someone won the Mega Millions jackpot was April 18.
The $1.55 billion prize would be for a sole winner who chooses the annuity option with payment stretched over 30 years. Most winners opt for a lump-sum payment, which would be an estimated $757.2 million on Tuesday.
A big slice of those winnings would go toward federal taxes, while many states also tax lottery payouts.
The jackpot is so hard to win because of the 1 in 302.6 million odds of matching the numbers on five white balls and a separate mega ball. The odds are better to win smaller prizes, which start at $2.
Mega Millions is played in 45 states, Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands.