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Mega Millions jackpot grows to estimated $353 million

Posted at 10:52 AM, Mar 12, 2014
and last updated 2014-03-12 10:52:59-04

More than 114,000 Mega Millions tickets in Virginia won prizes in the Tuesday, March 11 drawing.

But no ticket in Virginia, or anywhere else, matched all six numbers to win the jackpot. That means the jackpot for the March 14 drawing has grown to an estimated $353 million.

Virginian Lottery players won a total of $239,571 in last night’s drawing. Two tickets would have won $500, but the players who bought them each spent an extra $1 for the Megaplier, which increased their prizes to $2,000 a piece.

The Virginia Lottery expects to sell more than 1.5 million Mega Millions tickets in the Commonwealth on Friday alone. If one ticket matches all six numbers in Friday night’s drawing, the winner will have a choice: either take the full $353 million jackpot in 30 annual payments or choose a one-time cash option of approximately $194 million before taxes.

Eight Mega Millions jackpots have been won in Virginia since the game began in 2002. The most recent winner was Lewis Howard of Cumberland, who matched all six numbers to claim $99 million in the May 17, 2013, Mega Millions drawing.

Mega Millions drawings are held Tuesday and Friday nights at 11:00. Drawings are broadcast on TV stations across Virginia and streamed live at http://www.valottery.com and on the Lottery’s Facebook page.