(LOOTPRESS) – The Mega Millions jackpot has soared to an estimated $1 billion for the December 24 drawing, marking the seventh time in the game’s history that the prize has reached the billion-dollar milestone.
The cash option for the holiday jackpot is $448.8 million.
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“’Tis the season of giving, and today we’re thrilled to be able to raise the Mega Millions jackpot for the Christmas Eve drawing to $1 billion,” said Joshua Johnston, lead director for the Mega Millions Consortium.
“The dream of that sum of money is just so much fun to think about, especially around the holidays, when there’s already a sense of magic in the air. Can you imagine going to bed and then waking up on December 25, checking your ticket and realizing you just won a $1 billion jackpot?”
The jackpot has been rolling since September 10, when a $810 million prize was won in Texas.
Over the course of 29 drawings, more than 21.4 million winning tickets have been sold across the game’s eight non-jackpot prize tiers, which range from $2 to $1 million or more with the optional Megaplier.
The drawing will take place Tuesday night at 11 p.m. Eastern time at the WSB-TV studio in Atlanta, Georgia. Results will be posted shortly afterward on the Mega Millions website.
Tickets for the $2 game are available in 45 states, Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands. For an additional $1, players can add the Megaplier to multiply their non-jackpot winnings.
Half of each ticket’s proceeds stay in the state where it was sold, funding local programs and retailer commissions.
