Lottery players will have another shot at the Mega Millions jackpot after there were no tickets that matched all six winning numbers during Friday’s drawing.
The hefty $1.58bn prize currently ranks as the third-largest jackpot in US history, according to Mega Millions. The jackpot has been gradually building for months thanks to 31 straight drawings without a jackpot winner. The last time someone won the game’s top prize was 18 April.
For a chance to win the prize, players can pick six numbers from two separate pools of numbers - five different numbers from one to 70 (the white balls) and one number from one to 25 (the gold Mega Ball), according to Mega Millions.
The next drawing will take place on Tuesday 8 August at 11pm ET.
Each drawing without a winner pushes the prize closer to the record $2.04bn Powerball jackpot that a lucky individual in California won last year.
As for the former lucky winners of Mega Millions jackpots, a ticket holder in South Carolina won the previous largest Mega Millions jackpot of $1.537bn in 2018, when they found themselves with a ticket that matched all six numbers drawn.
Earlier this year, an individual in Maine won a Mega Millions jackpot worth $1.348bn.
However, that doesn’t mean winning the jackpot it’s an easy feat, as finding oneself with a matching ticket for the Mega Millions grand prize is exceptionally rare due to odds of one in 302.6 million.
The $1.55bn payout would go to a winner who opts for an annuity, doled out over 30 years. But winning individuals usually prefer a lump sum option, which for Tuesday's jackpot would be an estimated $783.3m. The money would then be subject to federal taxes, while many states also tax lottery winnings.
Mega Millions is played in 45 states, Washington, DC, and the US Virgin Islands.
The next Mega Millions drawing will take place on Tuesday 8 August at 11pm ET.
