By Todd Northrop
Tickets for the Friday night Mega Millions drawing are selling faster than expected, prompting the state lotteries to raise the jackpot estimate to $164 million.
The previous estimate for the drawing, established early Wednesday morning, was $159 million.
Mega Millions offers two jackpot payment options: the $164 million annuity prize paid out as one immediate payment followed by 29 annual graduated payments, or a lump-sum cash option. USA Mega estimates that Friday's new cash option will be $101.7 million, up from $98.6 million.
Since Sept. 15, the Mega Millions jackpot has been drawn 15 times without a jackpot winner.
Mega Millions tickets cost $1 per play, and the Megaplier option can be purchgased for an additional $1 per play. Purchasing the Megaplier multiplies any non-jackpot prizes won by a random multiplier number drawn the same evening as the main drawing.
Drawings for Mega Millions happen every Tuesday and Friday night at 11:00 pm Eastern Time (8:00 pm Pacific).
Mega Millions is currently offered for sale in 44 states, plus Washington, D.C. and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The winning numbers are published at USA Mega (www.usamega.com) minutes after the drawing takes place.
I'm In.
This could be a result of Power Ball being won in Tennessee Wednesday night. Go Go Mega Millions!!
Ditto, may even add an extra 5 lines to my normal 15 lines to cover all 15 mega balls when I cash in my 1+1 for $2 from Tuesday's drawing.
Selling faster than expected aye ?
Are people spending their PB $ on this ?
Yea, I bought 1 also, and that was before I read this.
well I put in my $2 ..... but might get one more b4 the drawing
Me too.
Wish Puerto Rico would jump in on this too. They do have Powerball and have already had huge jackpot winners.
Me too, I'm in. Maybe get a few more before tonights draw. Good Luck everyone, we all want to win!
A huge $5 million increase.
Wow, better rush out and buy a bunch now. 
Seriously though, $5 million raise is relatively small on $159 million annuity. Seems they're very desperate to drive sales. With that said, it's understandable the estimate would jump since PB was, presumably, hit earlier than expected. Players seeking a super-sized jackpot, for the time being, is relegated to Mega Millions...
On the bright side, MM only costs $1. Plus, the extra $1 megaplier multiplies all lower tier prizes, including the $1 million 2nd prize, which is 14 times more likely for a player to hit than the jackpot. Winning, on average, $3+ million ain't bad for 2nd place for those who pony up the extra $1, which is no more expensive than PB $2 base price.
I have my line of "lucky" numbers. That's it.
This is a very rare sub 300m jackpot raise.
Notice how on the 'new matrix' PB the monies didn't go up exponentially fast? Nor did they up the ante during the last run like MM just did. Personally all I want/need is the MM five #'s with Megaplier.
Records will be set for this drawing, it's on the local news here that people are waiting in lines for HOURS to get tickets everywhere they are being sold.
I think it's two things at work here. 1. Powerball was won and people can buy twice as much in Mega than they could in Powerball. 2. Christmas is coming soon. Either way, it is getting pretty interesting.