Mega Millions jackpot hits colossal $627 million

Ticket buyers are rushing in droves to win their Mega Millions jackpot, which has reached a whopping $627 million ahead of Friday night’s drawing.

The estimated value of the cash prize is $309.1 million as a lump sum payment after taxes.

The drawing will take place at 11 p.m. ET. Winning numbers are available on the Mega Millions website.

More information on Newsweek Vault: Online Banking vs. Traditional Banking: Discover the Differences

David Goldman, 66, of Allentown, Pennsylvania, took an Uber Friday morning to the nearby Giant grocery store in Bethlehem to buy his five golden tickets.

A longtime journalist and avid poker player, he has been buying lottery tickets since he was in his 20s. The biggest win he ever made was a $60 Powerball ticket. He remembers buying it at a Manhattan newsstand he frequented often.

“It was a whim,” Goldman said. Newsweek.

After work, he wandered around town looking for a place to cash in his $60 lottery winnings. He was lucky enough to spot a bar on Christopher Street with a lottery sign. He cashed in the ticket and then enjoyed a cold draft beer with his winnings.

More information on Newsweek Vault: Checking Account or Savings Account: Which is Better for Your Finances?

Decades later, Goldman now buys Mega Millions and Powerball tickets whenever the jackpot exceeds $100 million.

If he ever won the jackpot, he would simply quit his job, retire and travel.

More information on Newsweek Vault: These 9 Types of Low-Risk Investments Offer Maximum Rates

“I don’t think I’d get too crazy,” Goldman said. Newsweek.

History of the Mega Millions Lottery

The Mega Millions lottery was launched in 1996 as “The Big Game”, a multi-state lottery in the United States. Initially, it was only available in six states: Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, and Virginia. It was renamed “The Big Game Mega Millions” in 2002, and later shortened to “Mega Millions”.

Over the years, more states have joined the game and today, 45 states, the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands participate in the game. The format and rules of the game have evolved, including the number of balls, ticket prices and the addition of the Megaplier feature, which multiplies non-jackpot winnings.

Drawings take place twice a week, on Tuesday and Friday nights, and jackpots start at $20 million. The odds of winning the Mega Millions jackpot are approximately 1 in 302.6 million, making it one of the hardest lotteries to win, but with the potential for massive winnings.

The 5 biggest Mega Millions jackpots won

$1.537 billion – October 23, 2018

• It is the largest Mega Millions jackpot ever won and the second-largest lottery prize in U.S. history. It was won by a single ticket purchased in South Carolina. The winner chose to remain anonymous and opted for a lump sum payment of $877.8 million.

$1.348 billion – January 13, 2023

• The second largest Mega Millions jackpot, won by a single ticket sold in Maine. The winner chose the lump sum payment option and became the first person in Maine history to win the Mega Millions jackpot.

$1.337 billion – July 29, 2022

• The jackpot was won by a single ticket sold in Illinois. It was the third time a Mega Millions jackpot has topped $1 billion. The winner chose the lump sum payment of approximately $780.5 million.

$1.05 billion – January 22, 2021

• The fourth largest jackpot was won by a group of Michigan players who formed a lottery club called the Wolverine FLL Club. They opted for a lump sum payment of $776.6 million.

$656 million – March 30, 2012

• At the time, it was the largest jackpot in Mega Millions history. Three winning tickets were sold in Kansas, Illinois, and Maryland, and the prize was split among the winners. Each ticket holder received a cash payout of approximately $158 million after taxes.