Mega Millions Jackpot Soars to $640 Million
The largest lottery jackpot in U.S. history leaped even higher to $640 million as throngs of hopefuls bought fistfuls of last minute tickets.
The cash lump sum payment is now worth $462 million, up from $389.8 million.
The drawing earlier today was just $540 million, surpassing the estimated $476 million jackpot and previous record of $390 million.
But it jumped by $100 million as long lines of ticket buyers jammed stores for their chance to join the country's one percent.
A now eye-popping 400 million tickets have been sold in just the last 48 hours for the drawing set to take place at 11 p.m. Friday at WSB-TV in Atlanta, Georgia -- one of the 42 states where Mega Millions is played.
"Friday night's Mega Millions drawing … provides an unprecedented opportunity for players to take a chance on a half-billion dollar ***** for just the $1 price of a ticket," Gary Grief, lead director for the Mega Millions group said. "We have people coming out that have never bought a ticket before, because they see this number and they think, 'Gee, for just a dollar, I have a chance at a half a billion.' It's hard not to take a chance on that."
