Everything you need to know about Friday the 13th's historic Mega Millions drawing
As unlucky as this may sound, Friday the 13th could be the luckiest day for some lucky soul.
No one had all the numbers − the white balls 7, 13, 14, 15 and 18, plus the gold Mega Ball 9 − for Tuesday night's Mega Millions so the jackpot continues to grow for Friday night's drawing.
The jackpot is now $1.35 billion.
It is the second-largest jackpot in Mega Millions history. The game’s record is $1.537 billion won in South Carolina on Oct. 23, 2018.
The jackpot has been growing since Oct. 14 when the last winning numbers were drawn.
Tuesday's drawing was a lucky one for two Ohioans who correctly matched all five of the white balls to win $1 million.
Here's everything you need to know about the drawing.
Is Friday the 13th a lucky lottery day?
Historically, there have been a fair number of Mega Millions jackpot winners on Friday the 13th.
Four winners in Michigan have won on what is considered an unlucky day in June 2008, May 2011, June 2014 and October 2017. That 2017 jackpot was shared with a winner in Rhode Island. Other jackpots on the dubious day include one in New York in March 2009 and Ohio in November 2015.
What's the Mega Millions jackpot up to?
The jackpot for Tuesday's drawing is at $1.35 billion. The cash option for the winning numbers is $707.9 million.
Where can I buy a Mega Millions ticket?
Tickets in Ohio are sold at some 9,800 locations, including gas stations and grocery stores in the state. Ohio is among 45 states and Washington, D.C., that participate in the lottery. The only states that do not participate are Alabama, Alaska, Hawaii, Nevada and Utah.
When is the next drawing for Mega Millions?
The next drawing for Mega Millions will be held at 11 p.m. Friday.
When are Mega Millions drawings held?
The Mega Millions drawings are held at 11 p.m. Tuesday and Friday by the Georgia Lottery in Atlanta.
How late can you buy a Mega Millions ticket in Ohio?
In Ohio, the lottery machines stop printing tickets at 10:45 p.m. the day of the drawing.
Are lottery winnings subject to taxation?
They say there are two sure things in life: death and taxes.
And yes, lottery winnings are subject to state and federal taxes. The Ohio Lottery takes those taxes out from any large winnings.
It is up to the winner to settle up with any local income taxes that are due.
The Ohio Lottery says communities regularly check the winners list to ensure local income taxes are being paid.
How is a Mega Millions winner paid?
The lucky winner of a Mega Millions jackpot has a couple of options to collect the prize.
You can select the cash option that is usually much less (thanks to taxes) than the advertised jackpot.
There is also the annual payout option where the winner receives an initial payment then another one yearly for the next 29 years. Each year these payments grow by 5%.
Should the winner who choses the 30 annual payments die before the final payment, the remaining payments will go to his or her selected beneficiary or the estate.
Can I keep my lottery winnings secret?
Ohio is one of the few states where big lottery jackpot winners can remain anonymous.
You will still have to file a claim with the lottery to verify and collect your winnings, which are typically paid out within 30 days for big prizes.
To keep your name private, you will have to first consult with a lawyer to create a trust to collect the prize on your behalf before filing a claim with the lottery.
And you might want to refrain from driving a Bugatti La Voiture Noire sports car through the local McDonald's drive-thru.
What are the odds of winning the Mega Millions?
You have to have the correct five numbers on the white balls each between 1 and 70, along with the correct gold mega ball that is between 1 and 25.
The odds of getting all six numbers correct is a mere 1 in 302,575,350.
How popular is Mega Millions in Ohio?
Mega Millions generated some $99.9 million in revenue for Ohio alone in 2022 and accounted for 2.3% of lottery sales in the state.
Craig Webb, who would like to submit this article as his official letter of resignation from Gannett should he win the big jackpot, can be reached at cwebb@thebeaconjournal.com.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Mega Millions drawing on Friday the 13th reaches $1.35 billion jackpot