US Mega Millions lottery hits record $1.6b

Winner can opt for cash payment of $904m or receive the $1.6b over 29 years

The US Mega Millions jackpot grew to $1.6 billion (Dh5.8 billion), a world record for a lottery, after Friday’s drawing produced no winner of the grand prize, officials said. The next Mega Millions draw will be tomorrow, after no one hit all of the numbers of 15, 23, 53, 65, 70 and the Mega Ball 7 during Friday night’s draw.

“Mega Millions has already entered historic territory, but it’s truly astounding to think that now the jackpot has reached an all-time world record,” Gordon Medenica, lead director of the Mega Millions Group, said in a statement.

The Mega Millions is coordinated by the Multi-State Lottery Association, along with several other lottery games including one called Powerball.

A drawing was held on Saturday for a Powerball jackpot worth an estimated $470 million. The winning numbers were: 16, 54, 57, 62, 69, and Powerball 23.

There was no winner for Saturday’s Powerball drawing and the new jackpot is estimated to be $620 million, the lottery announced on its website early yesterday. The lump sum cash payout is estimated at $354.3 million and the next drawing for the Powerball is set for Wednesday.

Both lotteries’ jackpots have been increased recently by rule changes that have decreased the odds of winning.

If a player hits all six numbers to win the jackpot, they can opt for an immediate cash payment of $904 million or receive the $1.6 billion prize over 29 years. The current jackpot beats the previous record, a $1.586 billion jackpot for a Powerball drawing.

jackpot for Powerball lottery, which also had no winner