The Mega Millions jackpot has surpassed $1 billion after no ticket matched all six numbers drawn on Christmas Eve. The estimated jackpot for Friday’s drawing is now $1.15 billion, potentially making it the fifth-largest in the game’s history. “We know that many people will likely receive tickets to Friday’s drawing as holiday gifts, and what a gift that would turn out to be if you ended up with a ticket worth a $1.15 billion jackpot,” said Joshua Johnston, lead director for the Mega Millions Consortium, in a Wednesday statement.
The odds of winning the jackpot are exceptionally long, at 1 in 302,575,350. However, the odds of winning *any* Mega Millions prize are considerably better, standing at 1 in 24. Tickets cost $2 and are sold in 45 states, Washington D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Half of the proceeds from each ticket sale remains in the state where it was purchased. Drawings are held at 11 p.m. Eastern time on Tuesdays and Fridays.