FOR INFORMATION, CONTACT: Carole Everett, 410-230-8800

#3884 GRP

Mega Millions Jackpot Reaches $196 Million
Two Third-Tier $10,000 Tickets Sold in Maryland

           
(Baltimore) – Now nearing $200 million, the Mega Millions jackpot keeps on growing. Since there was no jackpot winner last night, Friday night’s drawing has an estimated annuity value of $196 million.  Although nobody hit the jackpot last night, Maryland sold two third-tier $10,000 winning tickets.  The winners have 182 days to claim their prizes.

Maryland has had a number of second and third-tier Mega Millions winners since the beginning of the year.  The most recent $10,000 winners bring the total to 81 third-tier winners since January.  There have also been 14 second-tier $250,000 winners in Maryland. 

If the $196 million jackpot is hit in Maryland alone, it will be the largest jackpot ever won in Maryland Lottery history.  The current record holder, Bernadette Gietka from Baltimore County, won a $183 million Mega Millions jackpot in June 2003.  Recently, Bunky Bartlett was one of four people nationwide to split the $330 million Mega Millions jackpot in July 2007, taking home a prize of $82.5 million.

The Mega Millions drawing is held in Atlanta, Georgia and can be seen locally on Tuesday and Friday evenings at 11:22 pm on WBAL-TV, Channel 11.  The multi-state Mega Millions game is played in 12 states -- Maryland, Georgia, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Virginia, Washington, Texas and California.

 

###