Mega Millions and Powerball lotteries now have $1 billion combined jackpot

Almost $1 billion in combined grand prize money could await lottery players with tickets for the Mega Millions and Powerball lottery games this week.

The jackpot for Mega Millions has reached $654 million, with a cash option of $372.6 million, since no one claimed the jackpot last Friday night.

The potential jackpot is the second highest in game history. The largest, just $2 million more, was drawn in March 2012.

Ashley Eggen of Elizabethtown, Kentucky, won $1 million playing Mega Millions on Oct 9. Eggen’s ticket matched the five white ball numbers, but missed the Mega Ball to win the game’s second prize from the October 5th drawing.

The winning numbers for the Oct drawing were 27-28-32-41-69 and Mega Ball 12.

Last Friday’s winning numbers were 4-24-46-61-70 and a Mega Ball of 7. No one has won since July and the next drawing is Tuesday, Oct. 16, and the grand prize is $654 million.

While the jackpot stands at the fourth largest potential jackpot in U.S history, jackpot for the next Powerball will be $345 million for the drawing this Wednesday. The two games make the combined possible winnings $999 million dollars.

The Powerball numbers drawn Saturday were 11-14-32-43-65 and the Powerball was 15. The Power Play was 3.

The next drawing will be Oct. 17 with the prize of $345 million.