Mega Millions Jackpot Climbs to $800M

The Mega Millions jackpot has surged to an estimated $800 million, with a cash option of $401.8 million, for Tuesday's drawing. This latest rise comes after no one matched all the winning numbers in Friday night's draw. The jackpot was last claimed in Illinois on June 4 with a ticket worth $552 million.

This year, only two Mega Millions jackpots have been won so far. A $1.1 billion winning ticket purchased in New Jersey in March remains unclaimed. Winners in New Jersey have one year to claim their prize. Mega Millions tickets are available in 45 states, Washington, and the US Virgin Islands, with draws occurring at 11pm on Tuesdays and Fridays in Atlanta, Georgia.

Ticket prices are $2 each, with half of the sales proceeds staying in the state where the ticket was purchased. The odds of hitting the jackpot are one in over 302 million, while the overall odds of winning any prize are more favorable at 1 in 24. The largest Mega Millions jackpot to date, valued at $1.6 billion, was sold in Florida in August of last year. (This story was generated by Newser's AI chatbot. Source: the AP)