Mega Millions Jackpot Reaches $135 Million

UNITED STATS – (PRESS RELEASE) -- The Mega Millions jackpot is gaining momentum and creating excitement from coast to coast. A total of 868,448 tickets were winners in the Friday, September 8 drawing. Since no ticket matched all six numbers to win the estimated $114 million jackpot, the jackpot for the Tuesday, September 12, 2006 drawing grows to an estimated $135 million.

The winning numbers in Friday's drawing were: 09-17-34-52-53 and the Mega Ball number was 2.

A total of 11 tickets came within a heartbeat of winning the jackpot, by matching the first five numbers and only missing the Mega Ball number. Those tickets were purchased in California (3), Michigan (5), New Jersey (1), New York (1) and Texas (1).

This jackpot has been growing since August 1, when Mega Millions had its most recent jackpot winner in New York. The jackpot has now rolled 11 times without a winner. The odds of winning the jackpot are approximately one in 176 million. The odds of winning any of the Mega Millions prizes are approximately 1 in 40.

Mega Millions is played in 12 states: California, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Texas, Virginia and Washington.

Mega Millions drawings are held Tuesdays and Fridays at 11:00 PM Eastern Time, 10:00 PM Central Time and 8:00 PM Pacific Time.