Mega Millions Jackpot Grows to $26 Million

Thursday, March 12, 2009 posted 10:41 AM EDT

There were no tickets sold with all six numbers in the latest multi-state Mega Millions draw, and the estimated jackpot for Friday's drawing will grow to $26 million, lottery officials announced tonight. Two tickets -- one each sold in California and Georgia -- had five numbers, but didn't have the Mega number. The one sold in Georgia is worth $250,000, while the value of the ticket sold in California is expected to be announced Wednesday.State law restricts payoffs in California Lottery games to pari-mutuel prizes.

The numbers drawn tonight were 2, 27, 31, 39, 40 and the Mega number was 23. The jackpot was $16 million. The drawing was the second since the last time a ticket with all six numbers was sold. A ticket sold in New Jersey for last Tuesday's draw had all six numbers and was worth $212 million. The odds of matching all five numbers and the Mega number is 1 in 175,711,536, according to the Mega Millions Web site. Besides California, the Mega Millions game is played in Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Texas, Virginia and Washington.

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