Mega Millions Jackpot Nears $450 Million for July 5 Drawing

By Bea Karnes (Patch Staff)

Has the long, Fourth of July weekend left you wishing for more time off? You could say goodbye to your job permanently if you come up with the winning Mega Millions lottery numbers.

The jackpot for Tuesday night's drawing has soared to an estimated $449 million. That rings up in the Top 10 most valuable U.S. jackpots of all time. It's currently the seventh largest jackpot.

The last Mega Millions drawing was Friday when five ticket holders managed to match five winning numbers but missed the Mega number. Those tickets, worth $1 million each, were sold in Oklahoma, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and New York.

• Check back tonight for the winning numbers.

Wondering about your odds? They're an abysmal one in 258,890,850, according to Mega Millions. Tonight's drawing takes place at 8 p.m. Oregon time. Ticket sales end 15 minutes before the drawing, so don't wait until the last minute.

Find a local retailer here.

Mega Millions is played in 44 states, the U.S. Virgin Islands and the District of Columbia.