Mega Millions, Powerball Jackpots Keep Rolling

The Powerball  Lottery soared to $222 million after no one matched all six numbers in Saturday’s drawing, and Mega Millions rolled Friday night to $139 million, according to the Illinois Lottery.

“This much dough calls for a bake sale,” according to the Lottery’s favorite fictitious anchorman Gil Mitchell.  Although Friday’s jackpot didn’t produce a mega winner, Illinois had a Match 5 $250,000 Mega Millions winner at the Tinley Corner Store, 9410 179th St. in Tinley Park.

And while many people head out to their local Lottery retailers to purchase tickets, residents across Illinois are can also play these games online – wherever there is Wi-Fi --  via their smartphones, PCs, laptops and tablets, according to a lottery press release. 

In March 2012, the Illinois Lottery became the first US lottery to offer the sale of lottery tickets via the Internet.

 Illinois dollars spent on these multi-state games stay in Illinois. Since the Illinois Lottery introduced these games, Mega Millions and Powerball have collectively contributed an estimated $940 million to the Illinois Common School Fund and Capital Projects Fund.

QUICK POWERBALL FACTS

·         Introduced in Illinois on January 31, 2010

·         Current jackpot at $222 million; cash value of $144.5 million; after withholding: $101.1 million

·         Overall odds of winning the jackpot 1:175,000,000

·         Drawings are at 9:59 PM (CT) every Wednesday and Saturday

·         Jackpots  start at $40 million

QUICK MEGA MILLIONS FACTS

·         Current Jackpot is $139 million with a cash option of $104 million; after withholding: $73 million

·         Overall odds of winning the jackpot 1:175,711,536

·         Mega Millions jackpots start at $12 million

·         Drawings are held Tuesdays and Fridays at 10 p.m. CST

About Illinois Lottery

Founded in 1974, the Illinois Lottery has contributed over $17.5 billion to the state Common School Fund to assist K-12 public schools, as well as the Capital Projects Fund. Players must be at least 18 years old.