SACRAMENTO – Today’s MEGA Millions jackpot has rocketed from $355 million to $370 million, making it the highest jackpot ever offered in North American lottery history! The jackpot was increased to a record-breaking $370 million on the strength of exceptional sales. With the MEGA Millions jackpot reaching such unprecedented heights, tonight’s drawing will be held in Times Square in New York City. This could be your chance to be part of jackpot history!
The history-making $370 million MEGA Millions jackpot is the largest lottery jackpot ever offered in North America. In November 2005, the largest jackpot to date in the California Lottery’s history was won when seven lucky players shared a MEGA Millions jackpot worth $315 million! The winner of tonight’s $370 million MEGA Millions jackpot would receive annual payments of about $14 million for the next 26 years or could choose the cash option and receive a lump sum of approximately $221 million (before taxes).
Retailers win too! A retailer who sells a single winning $370 million ticket will receive the maximum bonus of $1 million for selling the winning ticket.
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.