SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF / AP) – There is a $ 1 billion Mega Millions jackpot up for grabs, offering a shot at the third largest lottery prize in US history.
The winning numbers in Friday night’s Mega Millions draw were: 4, 26, 42, 50, 60 and a Mega Ball of 24.
The Mega Millions top prize has been growing since September 15, when a winning ticket was sold in Wisconsin.
Mega Millions numbers January 22, 2021
The California Lottery Twitter account posted Friday morning that the jackpot had hit the $ 1 billion mark.
The #MegaMillions jackpot is now $ 1 billion, yes we said BILLION. Do you already have your ticket? Tickets may only be purchased on essential shopping trips. #PlayForMillions Play it safe #CALottery pic.twitter.com/NhNdvrTeLO
– California Lottery (@calottery) January 22, 2021
With the crowds of people buying last minute tickets on Friday, the final price of Mega Millions could get even higher. The draw will take place Friday evening at 8 p.m. PST.
The prize has grown so great that it has outgrown the digital lottery boards that can only show a jackpot of up to $ 999 million.
A steady stream of hopeful lotteries bought tickets at a petrol station in Hercules Friday afternoon. Everyone has a dream. One man said he would help the Richmond Snoop Dogg Youth Football League. Another player named Rosa said she felt happy on her birthday.
When asked how many tickets she had bought, Rosa replied, “Only one. You only need one to win, right? “
Lottery spokesperson Jorge De La Cruz said via Zoom that he is looking forward to a historic evening.
“If the jackpot is won, it will be the third largest in US history,” said De La Cruz.
Two weeks ago, a Mega Millions lottery ticket was purchased at a Brentwood gas station worth more than $ 2.3 million, California Lottery officials said.
While the massive Powerball prize worth an estimated $ 731.1 million was won by a single lucky Maryland ticket seller earlier this week, players in the Bay Area still have the chance to cash in on the Mega Millions game.
That winning Powerball ticket was old in Allegany County, located in northwestern Maryland, but additional details were not immediately available, the Maryland Lottery said in a statement. Who gets these riches may never be known: in Maryland, winners have the right to remain anonymous.
The Powerball jackpot was the fifth largest lottery jackpot ever in the US. Winning numbers for Wednesday night’s Powerball draw were: 40-53-60-68-69 and a Powerball of 22.
This week marked the first time both lottery jackpots exceeded $ 700 million. The biggest prize for both games was a $ 1.58 billion Powerball jackpot won by three people in 2016.
No one had won any of the jackpots since mid-September, which allowed the prizes to grow steadily for months. Such a long trajectory without a winner is rare, but it also reflects the incredibly small odds of winning – 1 in 292.2 million for Powerball and 1 in 302.5 million for Mega Millions.
Mega Millions and Powerball are both played in 45 states, as well as Washington, DC and the US Virgin Islands.
© Copyright 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All rights reserved. The Associated Press and Don Ford of KPIX 5 contributed to this report