Mega Millions Offers Biggest Jackpot Since 2014
Wednesday June 8th 2016Mega Millions is offering its largest jackpot since 2014 this coming Friday, giving players across the country the chance to win a gigantic $280 million. The top prize has rolled 26 times since Michael Burkett of Seattle, Washington claimed $157 million on March 8th, opting to take the cash lump sum of $102.8 million before taxes.
The last time the Mega Millions jackpot reached beyond $280 million was November 4th 2014, when Harold Diamond of Wurstboro, New York and his wife Carol had to abandon their travel plans due to adverse road conditions and ended up buying the sole winning ticket for that night’s $326 million Mega Millions draw as they waited for the weather to clear. It was only the next day at the golf club that the retired teacher overheard a conversation about the winner being local and realized one of his ten Quick Picks had made him wealthy beyond his wildest dreams. Diamond took the cash sum of $197.4 million when he eventually came forward to claim his prize in January 2015.
The largest Mega Millions jackpot in the history of the game was $656 million, which was split between three players on March 30th 2012. A group of educators from Maryland calling themselves The Three Amigos, Merle and Patricia Butler of Red Bud, Illinois and an anonymous ticket holder from Ottawa, Kansas won $218.6 million each, with all three choosing to receive a $157.8 million lump sum. That prize held the record for the biggest lottery jackpot in the world until Wednesday January 13th 2016 when three Powerball ticket holders shared $1.58 billion.
The potential to hit a $280 million jackpot this weekend means lines will soon start growing at lottery retailers across the 47 jurisdictions that play Mega Millions. Fans of the game will be whiling away the days until the drawing, dreaming of the tropical vacations, expansive mansions and supercars that a massive win could bring.
Make sure you get in early to pick up entries before the rush and don’t forget to check the Mega Millions results on Lottery.net soon after the drawing takes place at 11pm Eastern Time in Atlanta, Georgia. Good luck!
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