Mega Millions Jackpot Soars to Estimated $256 Million!

The Mega Millions jackpot continues to be the talk of the country, as a total of 2,024,023 tickets from coast to coast were winners in the Friday, February 24 drawing. Since no ticket matched all six numbers to win the estimated $212 million jackpot, the jackpot for the Tuesday, February 28, 2006 drawing grows to an estimated $256 million or a cash value of approximately $153 million.

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The winning numbers in Friday's drawing were: 03-05-12-16-34 and the Mega Ball number was 27.

A total of 22 tickets came within a heartbeat of winning the jackpot, by matching the first five numbers and only missing the Mega Ball number. Those tickets were purchased in California (4), Georgia (1), Illinois (1), Massachusetts (1), Michigan (3), New Jersey (3), New York (4), Ohio (2), Texas (2) and Virginia (1).

This jackpot has been growing since January 6, when Mega Millions had its most recent jackpot winner in Norwalk, Ohio. The jackpot has now rolled 14 times without a winner. The odds of winning the jackpot are approximately one in 176 million. The odds of winning any of the Mega Millions prizes are approximately 1 in 40.

Here is a complete breakdown of all winning tickets in the February 24 drawing:

Number of Tickets Matched Winning*

Jackpot Winners

0 tickets matched all 6 numbers for: jackpot

Other Prize Winners Prize Amount*

22 tickets matched 5 numbers for $250,000

190 tickets matched 4 numbers + the Mega Ball for $10,000

6,170 tickets matched 4 numbers for $150

7,066 tickets matched 3 numbers + the Mega Ball for $150

104,795 tickets matched 2 numbers + the Mega Ball for $10

297,523 tickets matched 3 numbers for $7

576,918 tickets matched 1 number + the Mega Ball for $3

1,031,339 tickets matched the Mega Ball for $2

*California law restricts California Lottery games to pari-mutuel prizes. Prize amounts in California will differ from the fixed prize amounts shown here. Go to http://www.calottery.com/games/megamillions for the California Lottery Web site and prize amounts.

Pari-mutuel prizes means that prize amounts vary with the number of tickets sold and the number of winning tickets in each prize category.

Mega Millions is played in 12 states: California, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Texas, Virginia and Washington.

Mega Millions drawings are held Tuesdays and Fridays at 11:00 PM Eastern Time, 10:00 PM Central Time and 8:00 PM Pacific Time. For more information on Mega Millions please go to: http://www.megamillions.com.