Hours before the Mega Millions drawing, the jackpot prize skyrocketed to $1.28 billion, the second largest prize in game history.
ATLANTA — Across the country, Americans gambled their chances for a hefty billion dollar prize, but were there any lucky Mega Millions winners on Friday?
The winning numbers for Friday night's record-breaking $1.28 billion prize were 13-36-45-57-67, Mega Ball 14 and Megaplier 2. The cash option for tonight's jackpot is $747.2 million.
As of Saturday morning, the lottery game's website said results were still being compiled -- but the Illinois Lottery's website said someone in the state bought the jackpot-winning Mega Millions ticket. Another ticket sold in Illinois matched the five white balls to win $1 million.
The last time the Mega Millions game had a winner was April 15.
Hours before the Mega Millions drawing, the jackpot prize skyrocketed to $1.28 billion, the second largest prize in the game ever.
The Friday drawing took place in Atlanta, Georgia. Soon after the 11 p.m. drawing, a number of people took to the Mega Millions website to check if they had the winning ticket. On Tuesday, the website crashed two hours after the drawing.
The massive jackpot was the nation's third-largest prize of any lottery game in the U.S. and was the result of 29 consecutive drawings without anyone matching all of the game's six numbers.
Odds for matching the six magic numbers are slim, but not impossible — a staggering one in 302.5 million. Although some doubled and tripled their tries, the chances remained low.
In the chance that someone does match all six numbers, the winner would have the option for an annuity option, which is paid out in 30 annual payments. Most players choose the cash option.
Focus on Mega Millions grew exponentially as the prize neared the billion dollar mark. A founder of a fast food chain even purchased 50,000 Mega Millions tickets for the second time this week in a bid to be the lucky winner.
There have been 40 Mega Million jackpot winners since 2016, scattered through 22 states. California is the state with the most jackpot winners within the last six years.
The next Mega Millions drawing is on Tuesday, August 2 at 11 p.m. ET.
What are the 10 largest US lottery jackpots ever won?
1. $1.586 billion, Powerball, Jan. 13, 2016 (three tickets, from California, Florida, Tennessee)
2. $1.537 billion, Mega Millions, Oct. 23, 2018 (one ticket, from South Carolina)
3. $1.05 billion, Mega Millions, Jan. 22, 2021 (one ticket, from Michigan)
4. $768.4 million, Powerball, March 27, 2019 (one ticket, from Wisconsin)
5. $758.7 million, Powerball, Aug. 23, 2017 (one ticket, from Massachusetts)
6. $731.1 million, Powerball, Jan. 20, 2021 (one ticket, from Maryland)
7. $699.8 million, Powerball, Oct. 4, 2021 (one ticket, from California)
8. $687.8 million, Powerball, Oct. 27, 2018 (two tickets, from Iowa and New York)
9. $656 million, Mega Millions, March 30, 2012 (three tickets, from Kansas, Illinois and Maryland)
10. $648 million, Mega Millions, Dec. 17, 2013 (two tickets, from California and Georgia)
Mega Millions is played on Tuesdays and Fridays in 45 states as well as Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
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