Mega Millions jackpot climbs to $542 million after Tuesday draw

The Mega Millions jackpot increased to $542 million after Tuesday night’s drawing produced no winning ticket for the top prize. The prize, the largest lottery award of the year to date, will be reduced by federal and state taxes before any winner receives a payout. The next Mega Millions drawing is set for Friday night, and the Powerball drawing, with its jackpot now at $375 million, is scheduled for Wednesday. Winning the Mega Millions jackpot requires matching all six numbers, a feat with odds of roughly 1 in 290.4 million, compared with Powerball’s odds of about 1 in 292.2 million. In March, an Illinois ticket claimed a $533 million Mega Millions prize, which had been the year’s biggest lottery win before Tuesday’s increase. The largest Powerball prize so far this year is $250.8 million, claimed by a player in Arkansas.