$1.15 Billion Mega Millions Jackpot Expected Friday Night

MASSACHUSETTS — One lucky Mega Millions player could ring in the new year $1.15 billion richer as the estimated jackpot rises for Friday's drawing.

The cash option on the prize is currently an estimated $516.1 million.

If hit, the $1.15 billion would be the fifth largest jackpot in the history of the game, according to the Mass Lottery.

Friday's drawing is the 31st since the jackpot was last hit Sept. 10, when a ticket sold in Texas won an $810 million jackpot. The $1.15 billion jackpot is the game's largest since March 26, when a $1.128 billion jackpot was won on a ticket sold in New Jersey.

A $10,000 Mega Millions ticket was sold at Express Food Mart in Randolph for the Christmas Eve drawing.

Mega Millions tickets are $2 each and can be played in 45 states, Washington D.C. and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Tickets for Friday's drawing can be purchased until 10:45 p.m. Friday at Mass Lottery retailers throughout the state. Drawings are held every Tuesday and Friday at 11 p.m. in Atlanta.

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. X/Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)