Mega Millions Jackpot Grows

The Mega Millions game is certainly living up to its name. In fact, there were more than 1.5 million winning tickets in the Friday, April 14, 2006 Mega Millions drawing. But none of those tickets matched all six numbers to win the jackpot. So the jackpot for the Tuesday, April 18 drawing rolls to an estimated $265 million.

That estimated $265 million jackpot is now the largest in the world. If there is one winning ticket in Tuesday's drawing, the winner will be able to choose between annual payments of approximately $10.1 million for 26 years, or a cash option of approximately $148.9 million.

The winning numbers in Friday's drawing were: 08-10-18-29-33 and the Mega Ball number was 10.

A total of 20 tickets came very, very close to winning that jackpot. They matched the first five numbers and only missed the Mega Ball number. Those tickets were purchased in California (3), Georgia (4), Michigan (3), New Jersey (3), New York (2), Ohio (2) and Virginia (3).

This jackpot has been growing since February 28, when Mega Millions had its most recent jackpot winner. The jackpot has now rolled 13 times without a winner. The odds of winning the jackpot are approximately one in 176 million. The odds of winning any of the Mega Millions prizes are approximately 1 in 40.

Mega Millions' largest jackpot ever was on May 9, 2000, when the jackpot for the Big Game (the forerunner of Mega Millions) grew to $363 million. There were two winning tickets in that drawing: one in Michigan and one in Illinois.

Here is a breakdown of all the winning tickets in the April 14, 2006 drawing:

20 tickets matched 5 numbers for $250,000

116 tickets matched 4 numbers + the Mega Ball for $10,000

4,605 tickets matched 4 numbers for $150

5,181 tickets matched 3 numbers + the Mega Ball for $150

79,580 tickets matched 2 numbers + the Mega Ball for $10

217,759 tickets matched 3 numbers for $7

455,371 tickets matched 1 number + the Mega Ball for $3

811,537 tickets matched the Mega Ball for $2

Mega Millions is played in 12 states: California, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Texas, Virginia and Washington.

Mega Millions drawings are held Tuesdays and Fridays at 11:00 PM Eastern Time, 10:00 PM Central Time and 8:00 PM Pacific Time.