What we know about Friday's $1.02 billion Mega Millions drawing

Chris Pugh and Emily DeLetter, The Columbus Dispatch
·3 min read
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America's next billionaire could be named Friday night as Mega Millions will draw for a $1.02 billion jackpot.

Here's how to play.

Tickets to Mega Millions cost $2 per play. Adding the Megaplier is an extra.$1.

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There are nine total ways to win a prize, from the jackpot to $2.

Pick five numbers from 1 to 70 and one Mega Ball number from 1 to 25.

Choose Easy Pick or Quick Pick to have the terminal randomly pick numbers for you. You win the jackpot by matching all six winning numbers in the drawing.

Here's what we know about Mega Millions and Friday's drawing. 

Joyce Telakowicz buys her lottery tickets at Troy Road Market on Wednesday, July 27, 2022. TOM E. PUSKAR/ASHLAND TIMES-GAZETTE
Joyce Telakowicz buys her lottery tickets at Troy Road Market on Wednesday, July 27, 2022. TOM E. PUSKAR/ASHLAND TIMES-GAZETTE

When is the next Mega Millions drawing and what time is it?

The next drawing is at 10:45 p.m. Friday.

When is the last time you can buy tickets for the drawing?

You'll need to buy your tickets by 10:45 p.m. Friday to qualify for the next drawing at 11 p.m.

What's the Megaplier?

Most states offer the Megaplier feature, which increases non-jackpot prizes by two, three, four and five times.

It costs an additional $1 per play. Before each regular Mega Millions drawing, the Megaplier is drawn. From a pool of 15 balls, five are marked with "2X," three with "4X" and one with "5X."

Where to buy Mega Millions tickets

You can play Mega Millions in 47 localities: 45 states, plus the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands. To find locations, search the Mega Millions website.

In Kentucky, residents can also purchase tickets online at www.KYLottery.com.

In Ohio, residents can use Lottery Card available in Kroger, Buehler’s Fresh Foods and Giant Eagle stores. It allows Ohio consumers to enter draw games on their phones and get notified and paid electronically if they win. You can also buy tickets online at www.OhioLottery.com.

What was the largest Mega Millions jackpot ever?

In 2018, one winning ticket in South Carolina sold for a $1.537 billion grand prize, which was the world's largest lottery prize ever won on a single ticket.

In January 2021, a winning ticket sold in Michigan for $1.05 billion.

What happens if I win Mega Millions?

Mega Millions offers two options.

If you win you can either claim your prize in a lump-sum amount immediately, which slashes the sum to $602.5 million or receive the jackpot incrementally, with annual payments over the next 29 years.

There's also the cash option, a one-time, lump-sum payment equal to all the cash in the Mega Millions jackpot prize pool.

How you can watch the Mega Millions drawing in Ohio?

  • Cincinnati - WCPO

  • Cleveland - WEWS

  • Columbus - WTTE, WSYX

  • Dayton - WHIO

  • Huntington - WSAZ

  • Lima- ELIO, EOHL, WOHL

  • Steubenville - WTOV

  • Toledo - WTVG

  • Youngstown - WFMJ

  • Zanesville - WHIZ

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Mega Millions jackpot: Information on Friday's billion-dollar event