EVERETT — For $2, Friday the 13th could be your lucky day.
Worst case, you could be out two bucks and your life will go on as usual.
The Mega Millions jackpot was an estimated $1.35 billion on Thursday, but could go higher based on ticket sales. Huge jackpots entice people who never play to dream of riches and take a gamble on the freak chance of fortune.
The only Mega Millions jackpot larger than Friday’s prize is the game record of $1.537 billion, won in South Carolina on Oct. 23, 2018.
Six previous jackpots in the multi-state lottery were won on a Friday the 13th. Half of the proceeds from ticket sales remain in the state where sold.
Odds are 1 in 303 million to win the jackpot by matching all six numbers.
If you match the five numbers drawn but not the Mega Ball, the prize is $1 million. Odds for that: 1 in 12 million.
Match the Mega Ball and nothing else and win your $2 back. Those odds are 1 in 37.
The lump sum cash payout on the $1.35 billion is $707.9 million, before the IRS takes a mandatory 24% right off the bat. Washington does not tax lottery winnings at the state level.
The full amount can be taken as an annuity over 30 years, paid out as one immediate payment followed by 29 annually.
The drawing is 8 p.m. Pacific Time on Friday, with the machine cutoff to buy tickets at 7:45 p.m.
Andrea Brown: 425-339-3443; abrown@heraldnet.com; Twitter: @reporterbrown.
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