Mega Millions jackpot surges to $353 million

NEW YORK

The grand prize is now up to $353 million, which is the fifth biggest Mega Millions jackpot ever. The cash option is $194 million.

And the jackpot could jump even higher based on sales ahead of the next drawing, scheduled for Friday.

It's been more than two months since anyone won the grand prize.

The largest Mega Millions jackpot was $656 million back in March of 212, when three winning tickets sold in Kansas, Illinois and Maryland shared the prize.

Two tickets sold in California and Georgia matched the $648 million drawing last December, and tickets in Georgia and New Jersey split $390 million in March of 2007.

The fourth largest Mega Millions jackpot was $380 million in 2011.

Mega Millions is played in 42 states, the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Lottery officials had placed the odds of winning Mega Millions at 1 in 259 million.

You can watch the Mega Millions drawing Tuesdays and Fridays on Channel 7, right before Eyewitness News at 11.

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