There were no tickets sold with all six numbers in the latest multi-state Mega Millions draw, and the estimated jackpot for Friday's drawing will grow to $155 million, lottery officials announced today. Thirteen tickets -- two in California, four each in Illinois and Virginia and one each in New Jersey, Ohio and Texas -- had five numbers but not the Mega number. The ones sold in California are each worth $275,671, while the others are each worth $250,000. California law requires major payoffs of lottery games to be paid on a pari-mutuel basis.
The numbers drawn Tuesday night were 5, 24, 37, 47, 52 and Mega number 6. The estimated jackpot was $130 million. The drawing was the 11th since the last time a ticket with all six numbers was sold. A ticket sold in New York for the March 13 draw had all six numbers and was worth $26 million. The odds of matching all five numbers and the Mega number is 1 in
175,711,536, according to the Mega Millions Web site.
Besides California, the Mega Millions game is played in Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Texas, Virginia and Washington. California Lottery officials reminded the public that borrowing money to play the lottery, spending above a person's budget or using money intended for other purposes can ultimately lead to significant problems for players and their families. People with gambling problems or knowing individuals with gambling problems are advised to call the Problem Gambling Help Line, (800) Gambler.
