DES MOINES, Iowa — The numbers were drawn Friday night for a Mega Millions jackpot of nearly $1 billion, offering the prospect of instant riches for one lucky player after more than three months without a big winner.
The numbers drawn were: 3, 8, 31, 35, 44, 16.
The estimated $977 million Mega Millions prize is the tenth largest in U.S. lottery history.
No one has won the game’s jackpot since December 8, a stretch of 29 consecutive draws without anyone matching all six of the game’s numbers. This allowed the jackpot to grow slowly, week after week.
The $977 million prize is for one winner who chooses to be paid via an annuity over 30 years. Winners almost always opt for a cash payment, which for Friday’s drawing would be an estimated $467 million.
The other US lottery game, Powerball, has also become almost as big, with an annual jackpot of $750 million and a cash payout of $357.3 million. The next Powerball drawing will take place on Saturday evening.