Mega Millions jackpot soars to $619M after no one wins top prize yet again

The Mega Millions jackpot has grown again — to $619 million after no one across the country won Friday’s $579 million prize.
There were also no second-prize, $1 million winners on Friday night.
Friday’s winning numbers were: 16, 21, 33, 39 and 45. The Mega ball drawn was 24. The Megaplier was 2x.
The annuity jackpot of an estimated $619 million for the next drawing Tuesday is potentially the 23rd largest in U.S. lottery history and the 10th largest Mega Millions prize since the game started in 2002. The cash option is worth approximately $297.7 million.
The Mega Millions jackpot hasn’t been won since a ticket worth $800 million was bought in Sugar Land, Texas, for the Sept. 10 drawing. The jackpot has been hit only two other times this year.
The first was on March 26 when someone who bought a ticket at ShopRite Liquors on Route 66 in Neptune Township hit the $1.13 billion jackpot. The mystery winner has yet to claim the massive prize. with the one year deadline to validate the lucky ticket less than four months away.
Players have a 1 in 12,607,306 chance of a ticket matching five numbers but not the Mega Ball and winning at least $1 million. The odds of matching four numbers plus the Mega Ball for a prize of at least $10,000 are 931,001 to 1.
Mega Millions drawings are held each Tuesday and Friday in 45 states, along with Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Saturday’s Powerball jackpot is worth an estimated $260 million with a cash option of $125.5 million.
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Jeff Goldman may be reached at [email protected].