A chance to win big
Combined lottery jackpots top $1B as pandemic continues
At more than $1.3 billion, the combined jackpot total for Mega Millions and Powerball is the biggest since October 2018.
Mohammed Phan, owner of Quik Mart on West Street in Annapolis, said a lot of people have been buying lottery tickets. But like everything else, things are different in the coronavirus pandemic.
“It’s a lot of people, but not like how it was before the pandemic,” he said. “We had a big one then too.”
The estimated annuity jackpot for the Friday Mega Millions drawing is $750 million with an estimated cash value of $550.6 million. If won, it would be the second-largest jackpot in Mega Millions history and the fifth-largest in U.S. lottery history.
The Powerball jackpot for the Saturday drawing is an estimated $640 million ($478.7 million cash).
The largest Mega Millions jackpot was $1.5 billion on Oct. 23, 2018, with one winning ticket sold in South Carolina. The largest Powerball jackpot was $1.58 billion on January 13, 2016, with the winning ticket split among three states — California, Florida and Tennessee.
This is only the second time that both games have simultaneously had advertised jackpots larger than $600 million.
Gordon Medenica, director of Maryland State lottery and Gaming, said for both games to be rolling out at the same time is unusual.
“A lot of people are saying they would share the money with their communities and good causes when asked what they would do with the money,” Medenica said. “There is a lot of people in need and I sure hope that happens.”
Medenica said the odds don’t change with the number of tickets sold. The odds to win the Mega Millions are 300 million to 1. The second prize is $1 million and third prize is $10,000. This weekend jackpots represent the longest number of drawings without a hit, tying the record of 35 without a top prize winner. Friday’s drawing will be the 36th and break the record.
“There is a 1-3 chance that it will get hit on Friday night,” Medenica said.
Medenica suggested to possible winners is to sign their ticket immediately. He does not expect a winner to come forward this weekend if there is one. Medenica encourages winners to find solid lawyers, accountants and financial advisors before claiming the prize. “This is a big amount of money and you want to have some good advisors in your corner before you come forward,” Medenica said.
In Maryland, winners can come forward anonymously and in Arizona, Delaware, Georgia, Kansas, Michigan, Texas, North Dakota and Ohio as well.