The Mega Millions jackpot has reached $521 million, the fourth largest jackpot in the history of the game, and could turn Good Friday into an especially good evening for some lucky player.
If someone wins and opts for a cash payout, they would scoop up a cool $317 million before taxes. Assuming a 40 percent federal tax rate, the winner would net more than $190 million.
If the winning player takes the 30-year annuity, he or she would rake in more than $17 million per year before taxes.
How did the grand prize get so outrageously high? No players have picked the winning number in two months. The reason for this is the nearly impossible odds against winning. Although overall a single $2 ticket gives a player a one out of 24 chance of winning any prize, the odds of winning the grand prize are a stratospheric one in 302 million.
Nonetheless, dreams do come true for some. Earlier this month a Canadian teen bought a ticket to celebrate her 18th birthday and won $1,000 for life.
Mega Millions is a multi-state lottery, available to players in 44 states plus Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands.