It certainly would be a treat to win the next Mega Millions lottery drawing Halloween night.
The jackpot for the game climbed to $284 million Tuesday after no one matched the winning numbers of 3, 50, 57, 58, 60, with a Mega Ball of 11. The jackpot has been growing since Aug. 22, when a $180 million prize was claimed in California.
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Friday night’s drawing takes place at 10 p.m. CST.
If someone were to win the drawing and chose a cash payout, it would be worth $172 million.
The estimated $284 million jackpot represents the 11th largest in Mega Millions history. It will be the biggest since a $414 million prize was shared between winners in Florida and Maryland on March 18, according to the lottery.
The record U.S. lottery jackpot of $656 million was awarded after a March 2012 Mega Millions drawing. That prize was split among winners in Kansas, Illinois and Maryland. In December 2013, lucky ticket-holders struck the second largest Mega Millions jackpot of $648 million.
The game is offered in Illinois and 42 other states, plus the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Reuters, Baltimore Sun and Los Angeles Times contributed.