CLIVE, Iowa — The Mega Millions lottery jackpot has been raised to an estimated $1 billion annuity, $565.6 million lump-sum option for Friday’s drawing. The Powerball jackpot also continues to climb, and has been raised to an estimated $470 million annuity, $268.6 million lump-sum option for Saturday’s drawing.
The Mega Millions jackpot is now the largest prize offered in the history of that game, eclipsing the previous Mega Millions record of $656 million, which was split in March 2012 by three tickets purchased in Kansas, Illinois and Maryland.
The current Mega Millions jackpot is second only to the world-record Powerball jackpot of nearly $1.6 billion that was split by three tickets in California, Florida and Tennessee in January 2016.
The Powerball jackpot currently ranks at No. 8 on the list of that game’s biggest jackpots, and No. 14 among the largest jackpots in the United States.