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https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/no-mega-millions-winner-jackpot-climbs-1-6-billion-n922221
No one won the latest Mega Millions drawing on Friday night, meaning the jackpot climbs to a staggering $1.6 billion on Tuesday.
No one correctly picked all six numbers in Friday night's $1 billion Mega Millions draw, setting up an estimated record-breaking jackpot of $1.6 billion when the next drawing takes place on Tuesday.
The numbers were 15, 23, 53, 65, 70 and Mega Ball 7.
The jackpot has been growing since July, when a group of California office workers won $543 million.
Tuesday's total would eclipse the record U.S. lottery prize of $1.58 billion, given away in a Powerball jackpot drawing in 2016.
“Mega Millions has already entered historic territory, but it’s truly astounding to think that now the jackpot has reached an all-time world record,” said Gordon Medenica, Lead Director of the Mega Millions Group and Director of Maryland Lottery and Gaming. “It’s hard to overstate how exciting this is — but now it’s really getting fun.”
While there was no jackpot winner on Friday, lottery officials said there were 15 'second-tier' winning tickets of at least $1 million.
Over the years, various lotteries have been making their games harder to win, thus leading to more bigger, attention-grabbing prizes.
Mega Millions, for example, changed its game in October 2017 by increasing the number of potential "Mega Balls" — the sixth and final ball drawn — from 15 to 25. That, and other changes decreased the chances of winning from one in 258.8 million to the current odds of one in 302.5 million.
Gary Buffone, a Florida psychologist who has counseled a handful of lottery winners over the years, said most Americans know how to handle the hype of a big lottery jackpot.
"I think for the most part, this (a big lottery jackpot) is a form of entertainment," Buffone told NBC News on Friday. "Unfortunately there are a few people who partake in the game that can least afford to. But that's just some, not a majority. People, in general, I think are pretty responsible."
Mega Millions is played in 44 states, the District of Columbia and U.S. Virgin Islands
No one won the latest Mega Millions drawing on Friday night, meaning the jackpot climbs to a staggering $1.6 billion on Tuesday.
No one correctly picked all six numbers in Friday night's $1 billion Mega Millions draw, setting up an estimated record-breaking jackpot of $1.6 billion when the next drawing takes place on Tuesday.
The numbers were 15, 23, 53, 65, 70 and Mega Ball 7.
The jackpot has been growing since July, when a group of California office workers won $543 million.
Tuesday's total would eclipse the record U.S. lottery prize of $1.58 billion, given away in a Powerball jackpot drawing in 2016.
“Mega Millions has already entered historic territory, but it’s truly astounding to think that now the jackpot has reached an all-time world record,” said Gordon Medenica, Lead Director of the Mega Millions Group and Director of Maryland Lottery and Gaming. “It’s hard to overstate how exciting this is — but now it’s really getting fun.”
While there was no jackpot winner on Friday, lottery officials said there were 15 'second-tier' winning tickets of at least $1 million.
Over the years, various lotteries have been making their games harder to win, thus leading to more bigger, attention-grabbing prizes.
Mega Millions, for example, changed its game in October 2017 by increasing the number of potential "Mega Balls" — the sixth and final ball drawn — from 15 to 25. That, and other changes decreased the chances of winning from one in 258.8 million to the current odds of one in 302.5 million.
Gary Buffone, a Florida psychologist who has counseled a handful of lottery winners over the years, said most Americans know how to handle the hype of a big lottery jackpot.
"I think for the most part, this (a big lottery jackpot) is a form of entertainment," Buffone told NBC News on Friday. "Unfortunately there are a few people who partake in the game that can least afford to. But that's just some, not a majority. People, in general, I think are pretty responsible."
Mega Millions is played in 44 states, the District of Columbia and U.S. Virgin Islands