Mega Millions jackpot up to $450M as drawing nears

Trending:

News
Nation & World

Mega Millions jackpot up to $450M as drawing nears

Jackpot for Powerball, the other big lotto game, is now at $570 million

A sign advertises Powerball and Mega Millions lottery jackpots at a store in Atlanta, Thursday, Jan. 4, 2018. An estimated $550 million jackpot is up for grabs on Saturday night's Powerball lottery drawing, making it potentially the 8th largest prize in the nation. (AP Photo/David Goldman)
David Goldman/Associated Press
A sign advertises Powerball and Mega Millions lottery jackpots at a store in Atlanta on Thursday, Jan. 4, 2018. An estimated $550 million jackpot is up for grabs on Saturday night’s Powerball lottery drawing, making it potentially the eighth largest prize in the nation.
By |
PUBLISHED: | UPDATED:

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The jackpot for the Mega Millions lottery game has climbed to $450 million, just hours before the drawing.

The top prize was raised ahead of the drawing Friday night.

Lottery officials also increased the jackpot of Powerball, the other national lottery game, to $570 million. That drawing will be Saturday night.

The jackpots refer to the annuity options for both games, in which payments are made over 29 years. Most winners opt for cash options, which would be $281 million for Mega Millions and $358.5 million for Powerball.

The odds of winning the Mega Millions jackpot is one in 302.5 million. Powerball has odds of one in 292.2 million.

Both games are played in 44 states plus Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Puerto Rico also participates in Powerball.

More in Nation & World

  • There is an increasing effort among Republicans and the conservative-leaning media to question the legitimacy of the Russia investigation. Increasingly prominent in that effort are attempts to use the Steele dossier as the basis for a deep-state conspiracy against the president.
    Analysis: Besmirching Steele without proof is political move
    There is an increasing effort among Republicans and the conservative-leaning media to question the legitimacy of the Russia investigation. Increasingly prominent in that effort are attempts to use the Steele dossier as the basis for a deep-state conspiracy against the president.
  • Trump is scheduled to speak Monday at the American Farm Bureau Federation's annual conference in Nashville, the first sitting president to address the group in 26 years. He'll be getting a warm welcome, even though there are policies his administration is pursuing that run counter to some farm interests.
    Farmers backed Trump, now they want some attention
    Trump is scheduled to speak Monday at the American Farm Bureau Federation’s annual conference in Nashville, the first sitting president to address the group in 26 years. He’ll be getting a warm welcome, even though there are policies his administration is pursuing that run counter to some farm interests.