Friday's Mega Millions prize is up to $345 million and Saturday's Powerball jackpot is $455 million, leaving people hoping their pot of gold is waiting this St. Patrick's Day weekend.
But whether they're feeling lucky or not, most folks aren’t holding their breath. The odds of winning the Mega Millions jackpot are one in 302.6 million with the odds for the Powerball jackpot at one in more than 292 million, according to USA Today.
You’re more likely to be killed by a falling meteorite than winning the jackpots, notes WTOP in Washington, D.C.
Still, the odds are better at becoming a millionaire: Only one in 12.6 million in Mega Millions and one in 11.7 million for Powerball. The chances of getting some kind of winning ticket for any amount are around one in 25 for both drawings.
The Mega Millions drawing will be at 11 p.m. EDT Friday with Powerball numbers drawn at 10:59 p.m. EDT Saturday.
The combined $800 million jackpots stem from no one winning either one since the first week in January.
It’s only the third time in history both the Mega Millions and Powerball jackpots simultaneously exceeded the $300 million mark, Randy Burnside, the West Virginia Lottery public relations manager, told MetroNews. More people begin buying lottery tickets when jackpots reach that amount, especially because of office pools.
If you do have the luck of St. Paddy’s Day, you’ll have a choice of 30 annual payouts or a lump sum of $205 million before taxes for the Mega Millions lottery. A Powerball winner on Saturday also may receive 30 annual payments or a one-time payment of some $269 million before taxes.
Tickets are $2 each with an additional dollar per ticket for Mega Millions, Megaplier, and Powerball’s Power Play.
When and if you’re ready to collect your prize, contact a financial accountant or lawyer, then call the phone number on the back of the ticket to claim the jackpot.
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