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Huge $363 Million Mega Millions® Jackpot at Stake Tonight - Cash Jackpot of $260.4 million is U.S. record

3/27/2012
 

Huge $363 Million Mega Millions® Jackpot at Stake Tonight - Cash Jackpot of $260.4 million is U.S. record 

Middletown – Excitement is building for tonight’s Mega Millions® drawing, which offers an estimated annuity of $363 million – third-largest in Mega Millions history – and the largest cash jackpot in U.S. history at $260.4 million.

If a single, jackpot-winning ticket is purchased in Pennsylvania for the March 27 drawing, it would be the largest prize ever awarded by the Pennsylvania Lottery.

“Someone in Pennsylvania could be holding the state’s first jackpot-winning Mega Millions ticket,” Pennsylvania Lottery Executive Director Todd Rucci said. “With all of the excitement around this large jackpot, we encourage players to purchase tickets early and avoid the last-minute rush.”

Tickets for tonight’s Mega Millions drawing will be available until 9:59 p.m. at more than 9,000 Lottery retailers statewide.

“While large jackpots are a lot of fun to dream about, we always encourage everyone to play responsibly and within their means,” Rucci said. 

The $31.2 million in sales for this Mega Millions run have generated more than $9.3 million in funding for programs benefiting Pennsylvania’s older residents. 

The current Mega Millions jackpot run began Friday, Jan. 27. There have been 17 draws without a jackpot winner, and tonight’s drawing is the 18th in the current run. 

The largest prize ever awarded by the Pennsylvania Lottery is a $115.5 million Super 7 jackpot from the April 26, 1989, drawing that was shared among 14 winning tickets. The largest Pennsylvania Lottery prize awarded to a single winning ticket was the $110.3 million Powerball jackpot from May 8, 2004, claimed by a New Jersey couple.

While Pennsylvania has yet to have a Mega Millions jackpot winner, nine tickets worth $250,000 each were sold in Pennsylvania so far this year for matching five white balls. Additionally, one Pennsylvania player won a $1 million match-five prize by purchasing the Megaplier this year. 

How to Play Mega Millions: Mega Millions tickets cost $1 per play. Players pick five numbers from 1 to 56 and one number from 1 to 46 (the Mega Ball). Players can pick their own numbers or have numbers randomly selected by computer. For an extra $1 per play, players can add the Megaplier. Prior to the Mega Millions drawing, the Megaplier number – ranging from two to four – is randomly selected. 

A player who matches five white balls and purchased Megaplier wins $1 million.  Other non-jackpot prizes are multiplied by the Megaplier number drawn.

Mega Millions tickets are sold in 44 participating jurisdictions. Drawings are held on Tuesdays and Fridays.

About the Pennsylvania Lottery: The Pennsylvania Lottery remains the only state lottery that designates all its proceeds to programs that benefit older residents. Since its inception in 1971, the Pennsylvania Lottery has contributed nearly $21.5 billion to programs that include property tax and rent rebates; free transit and reduced-fare shared rides; the low-cost prescription drug programs PACE and PACENET; long-term living services; and the 52 Area Agencies on Aging, including full- and part-time senior centers throughout the state. The Pennsylvania Lottery reminds its players to play responsibly. Players must be 18 or older. 

For drawings results, winning numbers, winners’ stories and to subscribe to the Lottery’s RSS news feed, visit www.palottery.com. Also log in to Facebook and like us at www.facebook.com/palottery or follow us at www.twitter.com/palottery.

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