Mega Millions ticketholders hoping to win the billion-dollar jackpot are in for a Blue Christmas.
No one matched all six numbers during Tuesday’s drawing as the lottery’s grand prize surged to $1.15 billion — the fifth-largest prize in the game’s history.
Tuesday’s winning numbers were 11, 14, 38, 45, 46, and Mega Ball 3.
“We know that many people will likely receive tickets to Friday’s drawing as holiday gifts, and what a gift that would turn out to be if you ended up with a ticket worth a $1.15 billion jackpot,” Lead director for the Mega Millions Consortium Joshua Johnston said.
“I can’t think of a better way to celebrate the holidays – whether Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, the Winter Solstice, or any other way people choose to celebrate the season – than by helping fulfill the dreams that come with a prize like this and prizes that will be won at all levels of the game.”
Jackpot hopefuls also have the chance to win an estimated $516.1 million cash prize ahead of the next drawing on Friday.
The staggering jackpot has grown since a lucky Texas winner won a mind-boggling $810 million prize in September.
Before Tuesday night’s drawing, Queens Deli worker Patel estimated he sold more than 100 tickets on Christmas Eve.
“It’s a lot — it’s very busy,” the 22-year-old, who is part-time at Forest Deli in Ridgewood, said.