The next Mega Millions drawing happens tonight, and the jackpot has risen to over $970 million.
Months have gone by with no jackpot winner – the longest stretch in the game’s history.
Millions of dollars in smaller prize sums have been won along the way, but a player has yet to cash in on the grand prize.
Mega Millions jackpot continues to increase
Today’s jackpot sum has steadily risen since September, when a Wisconsin resident won the $120 million prize.
This past Tuesday, the total sat at $865 million. After no one hit the jackpot, numbers for Friday’s upcoming drawing have risen to over $970 million – a cash option of $716.3 million.
If a player matches every winning number during tonight’s drawing, the jackpot will be the third-largest win in US lottery history.
Recent Powerball totals have been similarly sizeable.
On Wednesday, one lucky player from Maryland won the whopping $730 million Powerball jackpot, the fifth-largest jackpot in US history.
Lucky Tennessee winners in 2021
Three winning $150,000 Powerball tickets have been claimed in Tennessee this year already.
Vonore Mobile in Vonore sold the first ticket, Express Market in Shelbyville sold the second, and Friendly Market in Kingsport sold the most recent ticket.
In total, five Powerball tickets of $50,000 or more have been sold in Tennessee since the start of the year.
Tennesseans hope this luck continues during the next Mega Millions drawing.
Alabama residents flock to Tennessee for tickets
Odds of winning the Mega Millions jackpot are exceptionally slim. Each ticket has 302,575,350 to one odds of being a winner.
But that doesn’t stop droves of players from purchasing them.
In fact, these hefty jackpot numbers have enticed many north Alabama residents to cross the border into Tennessee to pick up tickets.
In Alabama, no state lottery currently exists.
A recent 2020 study suggested an Alabama state lottery could generate up to $700 million annually.
Alabama State Sen. Arthur Orr says state lottery discussions could take place during the next legislative session. With pandemic-related topics dominating session time, however, finding time to pass gaming legislation could be a difficult task.
Until then, Tennessee will continue to welcome Alabama residents and all those feeling lucky.
Will someone pick up a winning Mega Millions ticket before tonight’s drawing?
