Tommy’s Tobacco in Imperial Beach sold a Mega Millions number to one Michael Lange, who came forward Wednesday afternoon to claim $308,000 after matching 5 or the 6 numbers. Elena Gomez spoke to Patrick Fitzsimmons, probability professor at UCSD about the likelihood of winning this $500 million jackpot.
The Mega Millions lottery jackpot soars to $500 million for Friday night's drawing, after no one matched all six numbers Tuesday night.
Tuesday's winning numbers were: 9 - 19 - 34 - 44 - 51, with the mega number 24. That jackpot was $363 million, fed by weeks of drawings without a top winner.
There were 47 tickets that matched five of the six numbers. One of those tickets, worth at least $308,000, was bought at Tommy's Tobacco in Imperial Beach.
"Everyone sells lotto, but a lot of people come here because they consider it a lucky store for them," said the store's owner.
Now, the jackpot will be worth $500 million breaking the record $390 million that was split by two winners in New Jersey and Georgia in 2007.
If someone were to win the new $500 million jackpot, he or she has an estimated cash option payout of $341.4 million, according to a news release posted on the California's lottery website.
It's not just players paying attention. The retailer who sells the lucky ticket will receive a maximum bonus of $1 million, according to the lottery's news release.
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Mega Millions is played in more than 40 states, the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Chances of winning the pot are about 1 in 176,000,000.
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