CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Many lottery players in West Virginia and across the United States are hoping—against extremely long odds—for a very happy holiday.
The Mega Millions jackpot grew to an estimated $586 million Monday, the second-largest in the lottery’s history, because of strong ticket sales.
The winning numbers will be drawn Tuesday night.
A winning ticket would be worth 30 annual payments for the full jackpot amount or an approximate, one-time $316 million cash payment before taxes.
There has not been a Mega Millions jackpot winner since early October.
The odds of winning the full jackpot in Tuesday’s drawing are roughly one in 259 million.
The largest jackpot on record was a Mega Millions jackpot of $656 million that was won on March 30, 2012. Three ticketholders from Illinois, Kansas and Maryland split that prize.
Mega Millions is played in 43 states along with the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands.