$308 Million in Holiday Weekend Jackpots Up for Grabs

MIDDLETOWN, Pa., May 26, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- If you're hitting the road in Pennsylvania for the Memorial Day weekend, remember to pick up Mega Millions® and Powerball® tickets. Those games now offer jackpots totaling $308 million.

"Tickets are sold at more than 9,000 retailers statewide, including at turnpike travel plazas," said Lottery Executive Director Drew Svitko. "It costs a total of just $3 to play both games."

The Mega Millions jackpot for Friday, May 27, offers an annuity value of $218 million and a cash prize of $142 million.

On Saturday, May 28, the Powerball jackpot offers an annuity value of $90 million and a cash prize of $58.7 million.

Mega Millions and Powerball tickets are sold until 9:59 p.m. on their respective drawing nights.

The Pennsylvania Lottery has sold 17 jackpot-winning Powerball tickets since joining the game in 2002, and two jackpot-winning Mega Millions tickets since joining the game in 2010.

The Pennsylvania Lottery reminds players to always play responsibly. Pool Play forms are available on palottery.com for the convenience of players who wish to pool ticket purchases with family members, friends or coworkers. Players must be 18 or older.

Although Mega Millions and Powerball are multi-state games, winning tickets must be redeemed by the lottery that sold them.  

How to Play Mega Millions: Mega Millions tickets cost $1 per play. Players pick five numbers from 1 to 75 and one number from 1 to 15 (the Mega Ball). Players may select their own numbers using a Mega Millions play slip, or they may opt for computer-selected quick picks. For an extra $1 per play, players can add the Megaplier®. Prior to the Mega Millions drawing, the Megaplier number – ranging from two to five – is randomly selected. The Megaplier applies to non-jackpot prizes.

Mega Millions tickets are sold in 44 states, Washington, D.C. and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Tickets are sold until 9:59 p.m. on drawing nights, Tuesdays and Fridays.

How to play Powerball: Players pay $2 and select five white balls from the first set of 69 numbers plus a single red ball, the Powerball, from a second set of 26 numbers. Players may select their own numbers using a Powerball playslip, or they may opt for computer-selected quick picks. Players must match all five numbers drawn plus the Powerball number to win the jackpot. There also are eight additional ways for players to win a cash prize.

Purchasing the $1 Power Play option allows a winner to increase lower-tier prizes by a factor of 2, 3, 4 or 5, depending on the Power Play number drawn. The jackpot and the Match 5 prize are not multiplied by this number. The Match 5 prize with the Power Play option is set at $2 million. It is $1 million without Power Play.

Powerball is sold in 44 states, Washington D.C., Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. In Pennsylvania, tickets are sold until 9:59 p.m. on drawings nights, Wednesday and Saturday.

About the Pennsylvania Lottery: The Pennsylvania Lottery remains the only state lottery that designates all its proceeds to programs that benefit older residents. Since its inception in 1971, the Pennsylvania Lottery has contributed more than $25.8 billion to programs that include property tax and rent rebates; free transit and reduced-fare shared rides; the low-cost prescription drug programs PACE and PACENET; long-term living services; and the 52 Area Agencies on Aging, including full- and part-time senior centers throughout the state.

The Pennsylvania Lottery reminds players to check every ticket, every time. Players must be 18 or older. Please play responsibly. For help with a gambling problem, call 1-800-848-1880.

For drawings results, winning numbers, winners' stories and to subscribe to the Lottery's RSS news feed, visit www.palottery.com. Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/palottery or follow us at www.twitter.com/palottery. 

MEDIA CONTACTS: Lottery Public Relations, 717-702-8008

SOURCE Pennsylvania Lottery

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