Mega Millions Jackpot Rises To $85 Million, No Winner In Weeks


No one has matched the winning Mega Millions numbers in more than a month, so the jackpot continues to rise. The next drawing will be held on April 28, with the grand prize now at a cool $85 million.

The last time a ticket holder matched all six numbers in the Mega Millions lottery game was March 24. One lucky winner in New York took home approximately $59 million when they matched the numbers 2, 23, 32, 45, 55 and the Mega Ball, 12. There were also three “Match 5” winners in Florida, Missouri, and New York, who each got a check for $10,000.

Tuesday night’s $85 million jackpot isn’t the biggest in the game’s history, but it would certainly make life a lot easier for a winner who manages their new-found wealth correctly. According to the Boston Globe, your millions will go even further if follow these tips for lucky lottery winners, get good legal advice, and hire a financial advisor before you cash in your ticket.

While you’re dreaming about what you’ll do with $85 million (before taxes), think about how excited the three people who won the largest jackpot in American lottery history were when they realized they matched all six numbers in the $656 million Mega Millions jackpot drawn on March 30, 2012. The winning tickets were purchased at lottery retailers in Illinois, Kansas, and Maryland.

Here are the top 10 biggest Mega Millions jackpots in the history of the game, with the $656 million grand prize sitting in first place for more than three years.

  • $656 million March 30, 2012 – 3 winners: Kansas, Illinois, Maryland
  • $648 million December 17, 2013 – 2 winners: California, Georgia
  • $414 million March 18, 2014 – 2 winners:Florida, Maryland
  • $390 million March 6, 2007 – 2 winners: Georgia, New Jersey
  • $380 million January 4, 2011 – 2 winners: Idaho, Washington
  • $336 million August 28, 2009 – 2 winners: California, New York
  • $330 million March 31, 2007 – 4 winners: Maryland, New Jersey, Texas, Virginia
  • $326 million November 4,2014 – 1 winner: New York
  • $319 million March 25, 2011 – 1 winner: New York
  • $315 million November 15, 2005 – 1 California

The Mega Millions drawing take place every Tuesday and Friday 11 p.m. ET at WSB-TV in Atlanta, Georgia. MLive reports that the odds of winning the jackpot is slim — 1 in 259 million.

All five balls drawn, numbered 1 through 75, must be on the ticket, as well as the Mega Ball, numbered 1 through 15. Mega Millions is played in 44 states, plus the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Tickets cost $1 each.

The next Mega Millions drawing is scheduled for April 28, and winning numbers are posted on the Mega Millions website a few minutes after the drawing.

[Image: KRMG]

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