Tuesday’s Mega Millions Jackpot Estimated at $550 Million

Drawing could be the second largest in Mega Millions history.

By Liz Taurasi

It could be a very Merry Christmas for lottery players this week as the Tuesday night Mega Millions jackpot is estimated to be $550 million.

No one took home Friday night’s Mega Millions jackpot of $425 million, making Tuesday night’s drawing the second largest Mega Millions jackpot in history and the fourth-largest jackpot ever in the country, according to lottery officials.

The largest jackpot on record was $656 million on March 30, 2012.

It’s been more than two months since someone hit Mega Millions.

A lottery official told the Associated Press that strong ticket sales over the weekend and an expected spike in sales on Tuesday, could push the jackpot closer to last year's record-setting $656 million jackpot, and it could even surpass it.

A lump sum payout of Tuesday's $550 million jackpot would net the winner $295 million before taxes. The odds of winning on a $1 ticket: 1 in 259 million.

The drawing is at 11 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 17.

Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.