CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginians have previously been lucky playing the Powerball and Mega Millions lottery games, and West Virginia Lottery officials hope 2018 will start with a Mountaineer winning big.
For the second time ever, each game has grand prizes worth more $300 million. Mega Millions has a jackpot of $361 million — the eighth-largest top prize in the game’s history — and Powerball’s top prize is $440 million, the ninth-largest jackpot since the game’s start in 1992.
Mega Millions’ winning numbers were 1, 42, 47, 64, 70 and 22 with a 4x multiplier.
West Virginia Lottery spokesman Randy Burnside said Mega Millions will offer bigger jackpots after a ticket price increase from $1 to $2.
“People want those bigger jackpots, that life-changing money,” he said. “Years and years and sales data show that more and more people don’t play now unless those jackpots are at a really high amount.
Burnside added with the jackpots are between $250 million and $300 million is when increases in sales occur. He also said there are other prize options if one does not win the top prize.
“If you match five numbers, you’ve won a million dollars,” he said. “If you match four plus the Powerball, you’ve won $50,000.”
Eight West Virginians have won the Powerball jackpot, with the last winner happening in 2010. According to Burnside, more than 30 people have won prizes of at least $1 million in the Powerball and Mega Millions games.
The Powerball drawing is set for Wednesday at 10:59 p.m.