Drawing nears for estimated $830M Mega Millions prize

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Lottery players will be gripping their tickets tightly ahead of Tuesday night’s Mega Millions drawing with an estimated $830 million prize on the line.

The jackpot would be the nation’s fourth-largest lottery prize and the biggest in more than a year. The drawing will take place at 11 p.m. Eastern time.

The Mega Millions top prize has grown so large because no one has matched the game’s six numbers since April 15. That’s 28 consecutive draws without a jackpot winner.

The $830 million prize is for winners who choose the annuity option, paid annually over 30 years. Most winner opt for the cash option, which for Tuesday night’s drawing is an estimated $487.9 million.

The odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 302.5 million.

Mega Millions is played in 45 states as well as Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The game is coordinated by state lotteries.