Lottery officials have raised the estimated jackpot for Tuesday night’s drawing to $667 million, making it the third-largest grand prize in U.S. history. The increase from $654 million reflects a surge in ticket sales.
Unfortunately, even as the big prize for Tuesday night’s drawing increases to the third-largest in U.S. history , the odds of matching all six numbers and winning the game don’t improve. They’re stuck at a miserable one in 302.5 million.
The last time anyone won the jackpot was July 24, when a group from California claimed a $543 million prize.
The estimated $667 million jackpot refers to the annuity option, paid out over 29 years. The cash option, which is favored by nearly all winners, is $380 million.
Mega Millions is played in 44 states, Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
The Associated Press contributed to this article.