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A $197.5 million Mega Millions® jackpot purchased at a Chevron gas station in Encino, California, U.S.A., has expired after the winner failed to claim the prize, the California Lottery announced.

The jackpot, part of the December 8, 2023 drawing, was part of a larger $395 million prize. Interestingly, two winning tickets with the same numbers were sold at the Chevron station, both matching the Mega Millions drawing.

While one-half of the $395 million prize was claimed, the second ticket, worth $197.5 million, went unclaimed and has now expired.

As a result, the unclaimed prize will be allocated to fund public education in California, according to the California Lottery.

Currently, the Mega Millions drawing is scheduled for tonight, Friday, March 7, with an estimated jackpot of $233 million, or a cash option of $108 million.

Mega Millions tickets are available for purchase by U.S. residents on the official www.MegaMillions.com lottery website.

International players can also participate in Mega Millions and other global lotteries through The Lotter, www.TheLotter.com, a website that allows individuals from various nationalities to play.

The prize has been growing since no player matched all six numbers in Tuesday’s, March 4, drawing. The winning numbers were 14, 19, 47, 52 and 70, with the gold Mega Ball 6 and a 2X Megaplier.

Drawing will be conducted as usual at the WSB-TV studio in Atlanta, Georgia, at 11 p.m. ET. Soon afterward, the draw video will be available on the Mega Millions website.


Mega Millions tickets cost about $2 per play. Players may pick six numbers from two separate pools of numbers - five different numbers from 1 to 70 (the white balls) and one number from 1 to 25 (the gold Mega Ball) - or select Easy Pick/Quick Pick.
 

Players win the jackpot by matching all six winning numbers in a drawing. Also, there are a total of nine ways to win a prize in this lottery, ranging from the jackpot down to $2.


Mega Millions jackpot winner will have the choice of a Cash Option or an Annual Payout. Annuity option: Provides for an initial annual payment followed by 29 annual payments.

The second major jackpot this weekend is Powerball, set for Saturday, March 8, with a jackpot of $320 million, or a cash option of $150 million.

Powerball tickets are also available to U.S. residents via the official lottery website www.PowerBall.com.

While international participants can play through The Lotter website www.TheLotter.com.

Powerball’s jackpot has continued to rise after no one matched all six numbers in Wednesday’s, March 5, drawing. The winning numbers were 24, 28, 40, 63, and 65, with the red Powerball 20 and a 3X Power Play multiplier.

Powerball drawings are broadcast live at 11 p.m. ET from the State of Florida Lottery draw studio in Tallahassee. Drawings are also available on Powerball.com.

The jackpot grows until it is won. Players win a prize by matching one of the 9 ways to win. The jackpot is won by matching all five white balls in any order and the red Powerball.


Powerball costs about $2 per play. To play, people should select five numbers between 1 and 69 for the white balls, then select one number between 1 and 26 for the red Powerball. People can choose the numbers on a play slip or let the lottery terminal randomly pick the numbers.


Jackpot winners may choose to receive their prize as an annuity, paid in 30 graduated payments over 29 years, or a lump-sum payment. Both advertised prize options are before federal and jurisdictional taxes.

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The views or opinions expressed in this article are the sole and exclusive responsibility of the author and do not necessarily represent the opinion of A.M. Costa Rica.

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