This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Community Corner

Mega Millions Jackpot Reaches World Record $540M

The prize has reached $540 million, making it the largest jackpot in world history, lottery officials say.

The jackpot for Friday's Mega Millions drawing grew quickly today, with lottery officials saying the prize had reached $540 million, making it the largest jackpot in world history.

According to the California Lottery, a cash payout for a single jackpot winner would be $389.8 million. If a winner chooses the annual payment option, it would be $20.7 million a year for 26 years—before taxes.

The retailer who sells the winning ticket will receive a bonus of $1 million.

Find out what's happening in Palos Verdeswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Lottery fever has gripped Southern California and hopeful players across the country. For Tuesday's drawing, which had a jackpot of $363 million, the California Lottery's website registered 1 million hits between 8 and 9 p.m., with people trying to find the winning numbers.

There have been 18 Mega Millions draws without a jackpot winner, leading to Friday's record-breaking prize.

Find out what's happening in Palos Verdeswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The previous largest Mega Millions jackpot was $390 million for the March 6, 2007, drawing. The Jan. 4, 2011, drawing had a $380 million jackpot.

The numbers drawn Tuesday were 9, 19, 34, 44, 51 and the Mega number was 24.

There were 47 tickets sold with five numbers, but missing the Mega number, including nine in California. The ones sold in California are each worth $308,573, while the other 38 are each worth $250,000, a California Lottery official announced.

California law requires most major payoffs of lottery games in the state to be paid on a pari-mutuel basis.

One of the tickets with five numbers, but missing the Mega number was sold at Surf Liquor in Santa Monica, while a second was sold at Stopper Liquor in Placentia.

The holders of the winning ticket from Santa Monica—a group of co-workers at an unidentified business—claimed their prize Wednesday. The winners called themselves the "Lincoln 10." Winners in San Diego and San Bernardino counties also claimed their $308,573 prizes today.

The odds of matching all five numbers and the Mega number is 1 in 175,711,536, according to the Mega Millions website. The overall chance of winning a prize is 1 in 40.

The Mega Millions game is played in 41 states, the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?