The Mega Millions jackpot is estimated at $970 million for Friday, with a cash value at about $548.6 million. This is the highest Mega Millions jackpot in the game’s history and the second largest in U.S. jackpot history.
The jackpot has been growing since a $543 million jackpot was won on July 24, by an 11-member office pool in Santa Clara County, Ca. There have been 24 drawings since then.
The largest Mega Millions jackpot won was $656 million on March 30, 2012, with winning tickets purchased in Illinois, Kansas and Maryland.
The largest U.S. lottery payout was a $1.58 billion Powerball jackpot won in January 2016 and shared by three winning tickets in Tennessee, California and Florida.
The overall odds to win any prize are one in 24. The odds of winning the jackpot are one in 303 million.
Tickets are $2. The Megaplier multiplier option is an additional $1. Prizes on all Megaplier tickets are multiplied except for the jackpot.
Drawings are held at 11 p.m. on Tuesdays and Fridays.