Mega Millions: Jackpot rises to $815 million for Friday’s drawing

The Mega Millions jackpot reached $815 million in advance of Friday night’s drawing, according to lottery officials.

Previously, the jackpot for Friday’s drawing was $792 million. If someone wins the drawing Friday night, it will be the sixth largest jackpot since the game started in 2002.

If someone matches all of the numbers on Friday, they have the option to take the lump cash sum with one immediate payment or to take 30 annuity payments over 30 years.

The lump-sum amount currently stands at $385.1 million before taxes.

The last jackpot was won on Dec. 8, with two tickets in California splitting $395 million.

Tickets are sold in 45 states, Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Tickets are $2 each in most jurisdictions, but players can add the Megaplier for an additional $1 to multiply their non-jackpot prizes.

Drawings are conducted at 11 p.m. ET on Tuesdays and Fridays.

The odds of winning the Mega Millions grand prize are about 1-in-300 million

Top 10 Mega Millions jackpots:

$1.602 billion – Aug. 8, 2023, one ticket in Florida.
$1.537 billion – Oct. 23, 2018, one ticket in South Carolina.
$1.348 billion – Jan. 13, 2023, one ticket in Maine.
$1.337 billion – July 29, 2022, one ticket in Illinois.
$1.050 billion – Jan. 22, 2021, one ticket in Michigan.
$656 million – March 30, 2012, split between three tickets in Kansas, Illinois and Maryland.
$648 million – Dec. 17, 2023, split between two winning tickets in California and Georgia.
$563 million – Drawing Feb. 27, 2024.
$543 million – July 24, 2018, one ticket in California.
$536 million – July 8, 2016, one ticket in Indiana.