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Mega Millions jackpot jumps to record $970M ahead of Friday drawing

ATLANTA — Feeling lucky? If you can beat the odds, you can win more than a billion dollars by matching all the numbers for Mega Millions and Powerball.

On Thursday, the jackpot for Mega Millions jumped to a record $970 million!

The Powerball jackpot rolled over to $430 million Thursday morning after no one matched the numbers.

One person in Macon won a $1 million Powerball prize Wednesday.

The odds of winning a jackpot remain abysmal at 1 in 258.9 million for Mega Millions and 1 in 292.2 million for Powerball.

MEGA MILLIONS FAST FACTS

  • Draw Date: Friday
  • Estimated Jackpot Amount: $970 million
  • Annuity Amount: Jackpot prize paid out as one immediate payment followed by 29 annual graduated payments
  • Cash Option Amount: Approximately $548 million
  • Cost to Play: $2 per play; additional $1 per play for Megaplier; $3 for Just the Jackpot
  • Drawings: 11 p.m. every Tuesday and Friday LIVE on Channel 2
  • Overall Odds of Winning Any Prize: Approximately 1:24
  • Odds of Winning Jackpot Prize: Approximately 1:302 million
  • Date Jackpot Began Rolling: July 27
  • Number of Rolls: 25
  • Last Winning Jackpot Ticket: July 24, 2018 – $543 million (California)
  • #1 Mega Millions Jackpot: March 30, 2012 – $656 million (Illinois, Kansas and Maryland)

POWERBALL FAST FACTS

  • Draw Date: Saturday
  • Estimated Jackpot Amount: $430 million
  • Annuity Amount: Jackpot prize paid over 29 years in 30 graduated payments
  • Cash Option Amount: Approximately $248 million
  • Cost to Play: $2 per play; an additional $1 per play to add the Power Play multiplier
  • Drawings: 11 p.m. every Wednesday and Saturday LIVE on Channel 2
  • Overall Odds of Winning Any Prize: Approximately 1:24.87
  • Odds of Winning Jackpot Prize: Approximately 1:292 million
  • Date Jackpot Began Rolling: Aug. 15
  • Number of Rolls: 20
  • Last Winning Jackpot Ticket: Aug. 11, 2018 – $247 million jackpot (New York)
  • #1 Powerball Jackpot: Jan. 13, 2016 – $1.586 billion jackpot (California, Florida and Tennessee)
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