(NEXSTAR) — No one won the Mega Millions drawing on Tuesday night. The jackpot has now grown to an estimated $579 million ahead of the next drawing on Friday. Three Match 5 winners were chosen, two in Ohio and one in Wisconsin.
Lottery players have been watching the Mega Millions jackpot grow since September when a ticket sold in Texas landed an $800 million jackpot, the seventh-largest payout in the game's history.
At $541 million, the current jackpot ranks as the 10th-largest, passing a $552 million jackpot won in Illinois in June.
Should you win, your payout could be vastly smaller than the advertised size.
Large lottery prizes, like this Mega Millions jackpot, are subject to taxes, which vary depending on where you live. Whether you opt for the annuitized or cash prize (an estimated $276.6 million for Friday's drawing), your local lottery is required to withhold 24% in federal taxes. With additional withholdings, about 37% of your prize money goes to taxes.
If you win the jackpot, experts recommend keeping it a secret for as long as possible while moving quickly to assemble a team of experts, including an attorney, a tax advisor, and a financial advisor. In addition to keeping the ticket secure, experts also recommend signing the back of it.
Mega Millions tickets are $2 each and sold in 45 states, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. In addition to Tuesdays, drawings are held on Fridays at 11 p.m. ET. Players have a 1 in 24 chance of winning any Mega Millions prize.
