SACRAMENTO – It may be raining across California, but everything would seem sunny if you won this Friday night’s MEGA Millions jackpot worth $177 million!
Not only should your mood improve with $177 million suddenly burning a hole in your pocket, but if a change of scenery to more sunny climates is what you’re looking for, we’ve got some suggestions. Maybe pick up an island in the Bahamas? Or, a home in Australia to enjoy the summer heat while winter chills the State? Better yet, how about a nice long cruise with the family through the Southern Hemisphere to soak up all that summer sun? If you can’t make up your mind, $177 million goes a long way, you can have it all!
The $177 million MEGA Millions jackpot is currently the largest lottery jackpot in the world. Since California joined MEGA Millions, four MEGA Millions jackpots totaling $472 million have been won by Californians. In November 2005, the largest jackpot ever in the history of California was won when seven lucky players shared a MEGA Millions jackpot worth $315 million! The winner of the $177 million MEGA Millions jackpot would receive annual payments of $6.8 million for the next 26 years (before taxes) or could choose the cash option and receive a lump sum of roughly half the jackpot amount.
Retailers win too! A retailer who sells a single winning $177 million ticket will receive a $885,000 bonus.
MEGA Millions tickets are available at the Lottery’s approximately 19,000 retail locations statewide. The MEGA Millions draw takes place each Tuesday and Friday night at 8:00 p.m. Players may purchase MEGA Millions tickets until 7:45 p.m. on the night of the draw.
Public education receives at least 34 cents of every dollar players spend on Lottery products. The California Lottery contributed a record $1.28 billion to public education in 2005-06 out of historic sales of $3.58 billion, the sixth year in a row the Lottery has provided more than $1 billion in supplemental funding for education. Since its inception in 1985, the Lottery has contributed more than $18 billion to California schools.