March 28, 2012

Mega Millions® Jackpot Breaks Records
$10,000 Winner in Rhode Island

The Mega Millions® jackpot shot up to a record 476 million dollars for Friday night's drawing after no one hit it last night.  This is the largest Mega Millions® jackpot in the history of the game.  This new jackpot crushes the previous record high of $390 million that was won in 2007.

If the jackpot gets hit on Friday and the winner chooses the annuity option, the $476 million jackpot would be paid over 26 years in equal installments.  If the winner chooses the cash option, the lump sum payment is estimated at $341.4 million (another record-breaking amount).  

There have been 18 consecutive draws without a jackpot winner since the current run began on January 27, 2012.        

The gargantuan jackpot isn't the only Mega Millions® news, as Rhode Island had a $10,000 winner from last night's draw.  The ticket matched four numbers and the Mega Ball number to win the $10,000 payout.  If the player had opted for the Megaplier® option for an extra $1 on the wager, the prize would have been multiplied by three, last night's Megaplier® number, to equal $30,000.

The winning ticket was sold from La Esquina Market at 274 Webster Ave., Providence.

All players should sign the back of their tickets immediately upon purchase and put them in a safe place.  The tickets are the only claim to a prize.