For the second time in two months, a lottery jackpot has topped $200 million - in cash. Last
night, no one hit all the numbers drawn in Mega Millions - 1, 4, 6, 11
and 14, with a Mega Ball of 30 - so the advertised annuity jumped to
$290 million, or $205 million for the cash. A whopping 68 tickets missed only the Mega Ball, including five in New
Jersey and two in Pennsylvania. The Pennsylvania tickets, which did not
have the Megaplier multiplier option, are worth $250,000. Unknown this
morning was whether any of the Jersey tickets had the Megaplier, which
would boost the prize to $1 million.
If a single ticket wins the lump-sum amount - and isn't that every
lottery player's dream? - the haul would rank second all-time to only
Powerball's $210 million, collected earlier this month by 81-year-old
Louisa White of Rhode Island. She won the Feb. 11 drawing. The biggest cash jackpot ever was $240 million for Mega Millions' Jan.
4, 2011 drawing. That was split by two tickets, in Idaho and Washington
State.
Mega Millions' current cash jackpot ranks No. 5 all-time. California had the lion's share of second-place winners - 21 - which
proved unlucky for them under the state's pari-mutuel system. By
divvying up a pool of money so many ways, California, which does not
offer the Megaplier, will pay each winner just $56,382. Elsewhere, the prizes are $250,000, or $1 million with the Megaplier.
Michigan had nine second-tier winners, New York eight, Texas four,
Massachusetts and Kentucky three each, and Indiana and Ohio two apiece.
With one winner each were Maryland, South Carolina, Vermont, Wisconsin,
Idaho and Illinois.
Where the Pennsylvania and New Jersey tickets were sold - and whether
any Jersey ticket won $1 million - should be known this afternoon.