Mega Millions lottery jackpot is over $1 billion: When is the next drawing?

The Mega Millions jackpot keeps going up.After no one won Tuesday night's drawing, the jackpot will be an estimated $1.15 billion for Friday night's drawing. The cash option for Friday's drawing is $516.1 million.The winner of Friday’s jackpot would become the fifth largest jackpot winner since the game’s inception in 1996.How do I play Mega Millions?Mega Millions tickets cost $2 per play.There are nine total ways to win a prize, from the jackpot to $2.Players can pick six numbers from two separate pools of numbers: five different numbers from the white balls numbered 1-70 and one number from the gold balls numbered 1-25.What time is Mega Millions drawing?Mega Millions drawings are held two times a week. Drawings are every Tuesday and Friday at 11 p.m.Where can I watch Mega Millions drawing?Mega Millions drawings are broadcast on cable channel WGN or can be streamed on the Mega Millions website.How late can I buy Mega Millions tickets?Pools close at 10:45 p.m. on the day of drawings, according to the Ohio Lottery website.How many numbers in Mega Millions do you need to win?You only need to match one number in Mega Millions to win a prize. However, that number must be the Mega Ball, worth $2.Where can I buy Mega Millions tickets?Mega Millions is available in 45 states plus the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands.What are the biggest Mega Millions jackpots in history?$1.602 billion in Florida, Aug. 8, 2023$1.537 billion in South Carolina, Oct. 23, 2018$1.348 billion in Maine, Jan. 13, 2023$1.337 billion in Illinois, July 29, 2022$1.128 billion in New Jersey, March 26, 2024$1.05 billion in Michigan, Jan. 22, 2021$810 million in Texas, Sept. 10, 2024$656 million in Illinois, Kansas and Maryland, March 30, 2012$648 million in California and Georgia, Dec. 17, 2013$552 million in Illinois, June 4, 2024What are my odds of winning?Jackpot: 1 in 302,575,350$1,000,000: 1 in 12,607,306$10,000: 1 in 931,001$500: 1 in 38,792$200: 1 in 14,547$10: 1 in 606$10: 1 in 693$4: 1 in 89$2: 1 in 37Overall chances of winning any prize: 1 in 24Lump sum payout or annuity?Mega Millions winners have the option of choosing a cash payout or an annuity option for their winnings. Prize claim rules are different depending on the state.Annuity option: The Mega Millions annuity gets paid out as an immediate payment followed by 29 annual payments, each that is 5% bigger than the previous one.An example provided on the Mega Millions website says that, for a typical jackpot of $100 million jackpot winner, the initial payment would be about $1.5 million, and future annual payments would grow to about $6.2 million.Cash option: Winners also have the option of taking a lump-sum payment equal to the cash in the Mega Millions jackpot prize pool.This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: When is the Mega Millions drawing? Here's how much the jackpot is now