Mega Millions jackpot jumps to $1 billion ahead of Friday night’s drawing

Thanks to math and bad luck, lottery players had another shot at a giant jackpot today with a $US730 million Powerball prize was on the line.

Until Wednesday, the last Powerball jackpot victor had been on September 16, and the last Mega Millions top prize was won the day before.

Wednesday's winning Powerball ticket was sold at the Coney Market convenience store in Lonaconing, a small, remote town in Allegany County in the Georges Creek Valley.

Here are some facts about the game and the massive jackpot.

FBN's Stuart Varney on a MI man winning the lottery three times in one day. Five balls are drawn from a set of balls numbered 1 through 70; the Mega ball is drawn from a set of balls numbered 1 through 25.

But to generate huge jackpots, officials must be absolutely miserly about paying jackpots.

Where can I watch the Mega Millions?

5,352 tickets in NY matched one number + Powerball for a $12 prize.

Statisticians in various news reports tried to encapsulate the long odds of winning Friday's coveted jackpot. Tickets are $2 each, and sales stop 59 minutes before the drawing, but may end earlier in some states.

A victor of Friday's jackpot, if he or she took the cash option, would receive $739.6 million - before taxes.

What comes next is unclear. The Garden State levies an effective tax of 10.75 percent on lottery prizes.

'The current roll has revived the game as it´s been designed, ' Medenica said.

If someone were to win the Mega Millions prize, they would have an option to take $739.6 million in cash. The lump sum payout is $716.3 million.

The prize grows each time a drawing takes place and no victor is declared.

It was the first time both lottery jackpots topped $US700 million.

$1 billion is the estimated value of annuity payments over 30 years. It costs two dollars a ticket to play.