Mega Millions to Climb to $449 Million

CONCORD, NH – It’s official: The July 5, 2016, Mega Millions jackpot will be the third largest in the game’s history, according to New Hampshire Lottery officials, after no one won on Friday.

The jackpot is expected to climb to $449 million with an estimated one-time cash payout option of more than $313 million, before taxes.

“As New Hampshire Lottery players prepare to celebrate Independence Day, one lucky person could be celebrating a Mega Millions jackpot,” said Charlie McIntyre, the executive director of the New Hampshire Lottery Commission, in a press statement. “We expect Mega Millions ticket sales to grow over the weekend as the excitement builds for this tremendous prize payout.”

The jackpot is the largest since December 2013, when it reached $648 million. It has been growing since the last winner took home $157 million in March.

Here are the winners from the Friday, July 1, drawing.

To play Mega Millions, players may pick six numbers from two separate pools of numbers – five different numbers from 1 to 75 and one number from 1 to 15 – or select Easy Pick, according to McIntyre. A player wins the jackpot by matching all six winning numbers in a drawing. Mega Millions tickets cost $1 per play. Drawings are held Tuesdays and Fridays at 11 p.m. Mega Millions tickets are on sale at more than 1,250 retailers in New Hampshire until 9:50 p.m. Tuesday.

For a list of retailers, check out this link.