(NEXSTAR) — Someone could start their Thanksgiving Eve a few million dollars richer thanks to a massive Mega Millions jackpot that’s up for grabs.
Without a winner on Friday, the Mega Millions jackpot has grown to an estimated $489 million with a cash option of $229.3 million ahead of the next drawing. If you’re hoping to try your luck, you may only have a few hours to buy a ticket before the drawing at 10 p.m. CT on Tuesday.
The current Mega Millions grand prize has been growing since September when a ticket sold in Texas landed an $800 million jackpot, the seventh-largest payout in game history.
At $489 million, Tuesday’s potential prize is about $63 million shy of being among the top 10 biggest Mega Millions jackpots. To rank among the largest in the game’s history, the jackpot first needs to not be won Tuesday night and reach an estimated $553 million. Then, it would outrank a $552 million jackpot won in Illinois in June.
- $1.602 billion: Aug. 8, 2023; Florida
- $1.537 billion: Oct. 23, 2018; South Carolina
- $1.348 billion: Jan. 13, 2023; Maine
- $1.337 billion: July 29, 2022; Illinois
- $1.128 billion: March 26, 2024; New Jersey
- $1.050 billion: Jan. 22, 2021; Michigan
- $800 million: Sept. 10, 2024; Texas
- $656 million: Mar. 30, 2012; Illinois, Kansas, and Maryland
- $648 million: Dec. 17, 2013; California and Georgia
- $552 million: June 4, 2024; Illinois
The payout of the jackpot will, however, be lower than the advertised $489 million. Because of federal, state, and local taxes, the total annuity prize would work out to between $256 million and $309 million, according to USA Mega. The cash prize would range from $134.2 million and $144.5 million.
If you’re lucky enough to win the jackpot, even if you aren’t the sole winner, experts recommend moving quickly to assemble a team that includes an attorney, a tax advisor and a financial advisor. They also encourage protecting your ticket and keeping your victory a secret for as long as possible.
That may be easier in some states than others — only a select few let winners of a jackpot this large remain anonymous.
Mega Millions tickets are $2 each and sold in 45 states, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. In addition to Tuesdays, drawings are held on Fridays at 10 p.m. CT. Players have a 1 in 24 chance of winning any Mega Millions prize.
The national lottery game is slated to undergo sweeping changes in spring 2025.
