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Mega Millions Jackpot Reaches $1 Billion

Mega Millions Jackpot Reaches $1 Billion

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That’s a whooooole lotta Simoleans.

I already have enough vices in my life, so I’ve never paid much mind to the lottery beyond the occasional scratch ticket. Even so, when the jackpot reaches a certain threshold of outrageousness, I can’t help but be curious enough to give it a passing glance. Today, the Mega Millions jackpot has gone well past that threshold into the potentially record-setting realm.


According to the latest Mega Millions report, the current jackpot has exceeded $1 billion, the third largest jackpot in US lottery history. This means someone could be a billionaire as early as tonight, or at least they will be a billionaire until they have to pay taxes on all of that or decide to take the smaller payout. Speaking of which, in the event a winner is chosen and chooses to take the cash payout, they’ll walk away with $739.6 million.

The lottery scene is already in a bit of a dander, as a ticket purchased in Maryland recently one the $731.1 million jackpot (or a $546.8 million cash option) from the Powerball, the sixth-largest jackpot in US lottery history. Mega Millions is hoping to cash in on this newfound fervor.

“We know that players love big jackpots, and when the numbers are this big, it becomes a national phenomenon,” said Gordon Medenica, Maryland lottery director and lead director of Mega Millions. “Everyone wants to dream about what they’d do if they won.”

Of course, the odds of actually winning the Mega Millions jackpot are… unlikely, to put it pleasantly. The official chances of landing that jackpot are 1 in 302 million; you’d have a better chance of getting beaned by an asteroid from space. But hey, I’m sure someone’s been beaned by an asteroid at least once. Y’know, in the entire span of human history. Nothing’s impossible!

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