Mega Millions Jackpot Hits $1B, Giving MDers Another Chance At Riches

MARYLAND — The historically large Mega Millions jackpot officially graduated from the "millions" category. The jackpot for Friday night's Mega Millions swelled to $1.02 billion after no one matched all five numbers and the Mega Ball on Tuesday night, but the game's top prize will likely grow as lottery fever reaches a frenzied pace.

As it stands now, the Mega Millions cash option is $602.5 million. Friday's drawing is at 11 p.m. In Maryland, participants must purchase tickets before 10:45 p.m. Friday to become eligible. Sales for the next drawing start immediately following the cut-off.

“We look with anticipation on the growing jackpot,” said Ohio Lottery Director Pat McDonald, current Lead Director of the Mega Millions Consortium. “Seeing the jackpot build over a period of months and reaching the billion-dollar mark is truly breathtaking. We encourage customers to keep play in balance and enjoy the ride. Someone is going to win.”

In Maryland, there have been three $1 million Mega Millions winners this year.

A retired Maryland veteran is still basking in the glow of a $1 million lottery win from the May 24 Mega Millions drawing. The Elkton resident, who wished to remain anonymous, was running errands with his wife when he purchased some of his favorite lottery games, including a quick-pick Mega Millions ticket, before heading home. That Mega Millions ticket yielded the big prize.

The 73-year-old winner matched the five white balls, missing the gold Mega Ball to take home the second-tier prize.

A month earlier, a Cecil County couple could not stop smiling as they claimed a $1 million Mega Millions prize. Paul Hartsoe matched the five white balls drawn in the Tuesday, April 12 drawing, missing only the Mega Ball.

A 42-year-old dad from Anne Arundel County won a $1 million second-tier prize in the Jan. 18 Mega Millions drawing. He said he plans to pay off the mortgage on his house and set up college funds for his kids.

Mega Millions tickets are available at gas stations, convenience stores and supermarkets in states where the game is played, the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Only five U.S. states — Alabama, Alaska, Hawaii, Nevada and Utah — haven't authorized the Mega Millions game.

The jackpot for Friday's drawing is the third-largest in the history of the game, and the fourth-largest lottery jackpot in U.S. history. But as ticket sales increase, the jackpot could eclipse the $1.o5 billion prize claimed by a player in Michigan.

The largest jackpot in U.S. history was the $1.586 billion Powerball jackpot shared by players from California, Florida and Tennessee on Jan. 13, 2016. A single player from South Carolina won the $1.537 billion Mega Million ticket on Oct. 23, 2018.

Overall chances of winning any prize are 1 in 24. The chances of winning the jackpot are much lower — about 1 in 302.5 million. For perspective, the odds of being struck by lightning are less than 1 in 1 million, according to the CDC.

Patch editor Beth Dalbey contributed to this article.