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Mega Millions Jackpot Pushes $1.5 Billion, Largest in Game’s History

The jackpot’s current estimate would take the crown as the third-largest overall jackpot in U.S. lottery history.

No winner took home the ever-climbing Mega Millions jackpot after yet another drawing on Friday, pushing the prize amount to an estimated $1.55 billion—which would be the largest in the game’s history. Nobody has been lucky enough to claim a winning ticket since April 18, with the odds stacked against players at roughly one in 302.58 million. The next drawing will take place Tuesday night, and if a winner is finally named, they would have the option of immediately cashing in at a lower lump sum payment of about $757.2 million before taxes or accepting the full prize (plus taxes) with an annuity option consisting of 30 total payments. The jackpot’s current estimate not only surpasses records for the Mega Millions, but it would take the crown as the third-largest overall jackpot in U.S. lottery history. The biggest jackpot in history went to a Los Angeles County resident, who struck a $2.04 billion Powerball jackpot.