No winner sends Mega Millions to staggering $1.6 billion

UPDATE Oct. 20 @ 6:40 a.m.: According to the Mega Millions website, no one matched all six numbers drawn Friday night (15, 23, 53, 65, 70, Mega ball 7), sending the jackpot to a historical $1.6 billion.

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The payout has not been this high since January of 2016 after a group split three Powerball tickets and claimed nearly $1.6 billion.

The next drawing is Tuesday 11 p.m.

UPDATE Oct. 19 @ 11:07 p.m.: The winning numbers are 15, 23, 53, 65, 70. The Mega ball is 7.

EARLIER REPORT

The Mega Millions jackpot has soared to $1 billion, as the second-largest lottery prize in U.S. lottery history gets even bigger.

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Lottery officials increased the grand prize just hours ahead of the Friday night drawing. The prize climbed from $970 million.

Although the jackpot keeps increasing, the odds of winning remain stuck at a miserable one in 302.5 million.

The prize has grown so large because no one has hit the jackpot since July 24, when a group in California won $543 million.

The $1 billion prize refers to the annuity option. Most winners opt for cash, which for Friday night's drawing would be $565 million.

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Officials say that if there isn't a winner, the prize for Tuesday night's drawing would be $1.6 billion, tying the largest U.S. lottery prize.

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