Next Mega Millions Jackpot Is $280M

If you are only interested in playing the lottery when the jackpot hits sky-high levels, it may be time to get in the game.

The Mega Millions jackpot rose to $280 million for the drawing on Tuesday, June 17, at 11 pm, after no one won on the very unlucky Friday the 13th.

No one matched in Friday’s drawing, which pushed the jackpot up to $280 million or $126.1 million if you take the cash option.

There have only been three Mega Millions jackpot winners so far this year, and the last one happened back on April 18th when a player from Ohio won $118 million.

While Tuesday night's jackpot would be a bundle of money if you got really lucky, it's still outside the top tier of all-time Mega Millions jackpots of a billion dollars or more.

But, you certainly would take it, wouldn't you?

How to Play Mega Millions

To play, you must...

- A Mega Millions ticket costs $2
- Pick five numbers from 1 to 70
- Choose one Mega Ball number from 1 to 25
- Add the Megaplier for an extra $1 to multiply non-jackpot prizes
- Winners must match all six numbers to claim the jackpot.
Lower-tier prizes range from $2 to $1 million and can be significantly boosted with the Megaplier option.

Odds & Stategies

The odds of a ticket matching five numbers and the Mega Ball are 302,575,350 to 1. It's a 1 in 12,607,306 shot to win the second prize of at least $1 million by matching five numbers.
Your odds of winning any prize are 1 in 24

A strategy tip: Consider using Quick Picks or joining an office pool to increase your chances without breaking the bank.

Mega Millions is played in New Jersey and 43 other states, Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Drawings are held on Tuesday and Friday.

Source: Mega Millions.com