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TagsBY BOB HOLT
NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM
People who could use some extra Christmas spirit and funds right about now might want to look toward the Mega Millions lottery.
According to NJ.com, the jackpot for Friday's Mega Millions jackpot stands at $123 million with a $78.2 million cash option after no ticket matched all the winning numbers in Tuesday night's drawing.
The numbers drawn were: 18, 22, 25, 31, 38 with the Mega Ball: 29
There were eight tickets sold that matched five numbers — but not the Mega Ball. One of those was sold in New Jersey. Each of those tickets wins $250,000.
Following a record $363 million Big Game jackpot in 2000, interest in multi-state games had reached an all-time high. And as interest grew, so did the participants. In May 2002, New York and Ohio joined Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey and Virginia to create Mega Millions.
Every day, retailers across New Jersey are posting tremendous sales of Mega Millions. In September, the New Jersey lottery web site released some winning tickets that have been claimed this year in the state. They include:
- Drawing Date
- February 23, 2010, $250,000, Harrison, Hudson County.
- July 27, 2010, $250,000, Saddle Brook, Bergen County
- August 6, 2010, $250,000, Newark , Essex County
- August 6, 2010, $250,000, Hasbrouck Heights, Bergen County
- August 17, 2010, $250,000, Bellmawr, Camden County
- August 17, 2010, $250,000, Newark, Essex County
These winners matched all of the Mega Millions Numbers, but did not match the Gold Mega Ball for the top prize. The state lottery site also has a list of this year's retailers who have sold big winners.
According to megamillions.com, players pick six numbers from two separate pools of numbers — five different numbers from 1 to 56 and one number from 1 to 46 for the Mega Ball — or select Easy Pick.
If you win the jackpot, the annuity option provides 26 annual payments. For every $1,000,000 in the jackpot, you will receive approximately $38,500 per year before taxes.
The cash option gives a one-time, lump-sum payment that is equal to all the cash in the Mega Millions jackpot prize pool.
Mega Millions drawings are held Tuesday and Friday at 11:00 p.m.
Jackpots start at $12 million.
