In the hopes of striking it rich, people across the country are scooping up Mega Millions tickets. NBC's Kevin Tibbles reports.
Updated at 1:56 a.m. ET: The Associated Press is reporting that Maryland lottery officials have announced early Saturday their state sold what could become the world's largest lottery payout of all-time, but it was unclear if that ticket holder would get sole possession of the $640 million jackpot.
Carole Everett, director of communications for the Maryland Lottery, told the AP the winning Mega Millions ticket was purchased at a Baltimore County store. She said it's too early to know any other information about the lucky ticket-holder or whether others were sold elsewhere in the nation.
The winning numbers for the Mega Millions prize were 46, 23, 38, 4, 2; mega ball was 23, lottery officials said late Friday.
National lottery officials were expecting to list early Saturday on their website how many winning tickets were sold and from what states, but Maryland sent out its news release and called media organizations hours before the scheduled announcement. The headline of its news release said the winning sale was "one of several nationwide," but Everett told The Associated Press she couldn't immediately confirm any others.
"We're thrilled," Everett told the AP. "We're due and excited."
The estimated jackpot dwarfs the previous $390 million record, which was split in 2007 by two winners who bought tickets in Georgia and New Jersey.
In most participating states, tickets were on sale Friday until 10:45 p.m. EST, lottery officials said. The drawing was held in Atlanta at 11 p.m. EST.
Hopeful future millionaires formed long lines at stores.
Odds of winning the entire jackpot were 175 million to one, said Margaret DeFrancisco, president and chief executive of the Georgia Lottery Corporation.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
Related stories
- Mega Millions jackpot grows to $640 million -- could go higher
- If you won the Mega Millions lottery, what's your first act?


Let the swearing begin.
I didn't win. Mostly because I didn't buy a ticket, but also because I wouldn't have chosen any of those numbers. Good luck to the rest of you.
Wow!!! I got one number right! What did I win?
You are lucky. I don't have even single one number /played for $5/
Me too. Second number 23. If I only had a few more...
dang
Robbie, You and I must have picked the same numbers. $5 nothing matching. What are the odds?
i got just the megaball, I bought 2 tickets for 1 dollar each, so I get my 2 bucks back.
Right Tippy, lol, I'm turning the air blue here. Some time ago I thought about playing the Lottery, started saving my single dollar bills. As of now I have $345 in singles, lol. Problem with that is; when I go to get some to buy tickets one hand slaps the other; NO NO! Not for some damn lottery ticket!" Well, somebody won, so cool. Lol, probably somebody that dug up four quarters.
I still have my money that I didn't buy tickets with.
I don't play. I don't plan to win and winner is not sharing with me, so why contribute?
wow!!!!
Awww shucks. Better luck next time!
I won I won!!!
I won too, we're splitting it with the other 30 winners because so many bought in this time around.
@Reagan-1200510 & @BrianB-2641029 I find it Interesting how you both claim to have won HALF A BILLION DOLLARS, yet still manage to find the self composure to comment online about it, mere MINUTES after the numbers were announced. Yeah….OK. But what I find even more interesting, is how you claim to know how many other winners you will have to share it with, when the people who run the lottery won't even know that information officially until tomorrow morning.
can I borrow a dollar?
@Poetically G
PARTY POOPER
@Shocked-2155038 Sorry, my B.S. detector went off. I couldn't help it…LOL
@Poetically.....The lottery officals know within minutes if there was a winner and where it was sold, its all in their computer system they just like the suspence.
They won a free ticket or $2....not half a billion.
Sure. How about two? Ten? Hell if won, I'd pay off what few bills I have. Open ten more gun shops just to piss the anti-gunners off. Give a bunch to Catholic Charities, to piss off the atheists. None to PETA or the Humane society because they are a bunch of nuts and not humane, killing 80% of the animals they "rescue". Some to Ducks Unlimited, the Wild Turkey federation, and other outdoor groups. None to the Sierra club, they've become idealistic morons. An bunch to Children's Mercy Hospital, they literally saved my Grandson's young life. And I'd give money to families here about, I know of having a hard time. Yup, It will be fun if I turn out to have a winning ticket. I'll donate to good causes and piss off certain groups of know nothings at the same time, It don't get any better than that. Let's see those winning numbers on my ticket, LOL!
POETTICALLY G----
Get that stick out of your ass....it was a joke, bro
@Hangon1minute…I'm very aware they know, but they aren't going to let the rest of us know until tomorrow after they quadruple check everything. Which was my only point to the 2 people claiming to have won & some how managed to gain the knowledge that NO ONE else has BUT the lottery officials. See my point? I was simply calling out their B.S. That's all.
Hey G;
If they are holding a ticket that matches the numbers drawn, they already know they won. All the remains is the validation of the ticket. Guess I'll check mine,,,,,,
@Poetically G
You got trolled, son.
But it wasn't BS you were calling out. You were calling out their jokes, silly!
Nicodemus1946 #5.8 you've gotten your moneys worth by having your imagination stimulated to a great degree. Sounds like many world and local problems will be fixed in your mind.
Frogmorton!!
Bruce Almighty just might get his wish with this one ! :o)
I think Brian B. meant that he was in a pool with 30 other people that would share in one winning ticket. Obviously, he was joking, but I thought his meaning was pretty clear. Can't you people comprehend a simple statement??
Poetically G...you have the sense of humor of Dwight Shrutte.Don't you know when a couple of guys are just joking around?? I mean really...you sounded exactly like Dwight. You aren't really Dwight are you? What's stronger a Black Bear or a Mountain lion?
Nicodemus - if there is any kind of God with a sense of justice out there, your chances of EVER winning much of anything has now got to be greatly decreased. Planning to use a "blessing" to anger others, is never good "karma".
I have never thought of who I would want to send an "F-U" to if I won any sizable amount of money. What a horrible mindset you have. That thinking about who you would NOT give money to, would give you pleasure.
Do any of the rest of you "fantasize" like that about winning the lottery..?
Me, a home in the country with some land for gardening, and maybe near a big beautiful lake - helping my family members, and people that have been there for me - investing a small portion in precious metals, and then various donations over time to orgs like the Audubon Society.
P.S. Nicodemus - a big donation to the Catholic church? Really?!? You seen the Pope's digs lately?
I think theyre doing just fine.... but hey - if you won, it would be your money to do with what you please. If you want to get the most bang for your buck in enraging those horrible "liberal" types, why not donate a large portion to the Koch brothers, and to Lloyd Blankfein and Jamie Dimon? Theyd be GLAD to take it from you....
StrenghtInNumbers- It seems to be there's some degree of parallelism between Dr. Jekyll and yourself.
.
I bought twenty tickets with the same numbers hoping it would increase the odds of my numbers being drawn, it didn't work.
There'e barely an once of intelligence in this comment, but you're free to limit yourself in any way you choose.
I'm happy to say I see the humor, Kired.
uh, what the hell did u do? For some reason or another, it does make sense.
had some one else had the same numbers... your pay day ..would have been 20 times more...
I agree with Paul. There is barely an once of intelligence in that comment.
But perhaps there's a twice.
lol, he was being funny, and it was funny
I guess some people aren't familiar with satire.
@ Kired,
Your logic isn't that off, it is actually pretty sound.
As we know now there are 3 lottery winners which means the 640M are gonna have to be splited three ways wich means 213M a pop.
But lets say You are one of those 3 lucky winners and you have 20 tickets with the same numbers, that means the 640M would have to be splited 22 ways that is 29M each, leaving you with 581.8M.
So yeah, to all you morons criticizing his/her comment that would increase his her odds of being the sole winner of the largest ever lottery award.
I thought it was a little funny at first when I read it this morning, but then I saw a little logic there also. May not increase the odds of winning but would increase the amount with multiple winners. I have a "favorite" set I play every drawing, I am thinking of doing it at $2.00 a pop on the same numbers for the same reason. One never knows. How about the guy they interviewed yesterday that has won Lottery drawings 7 times!
guess I'll go to bed now. Dang!
I didn't even win $2!!!
I got the mega ball right at least. Do I win anything for that? :)
Yep you get a whopping $2.00 good going. I did the same thing last drawing and gave up already.
Yes $2.
That's a 100% return on your dollar. You're a winner!
Last week Friday, I had three numbers and the megaball and got $150. And here I thought 4 out of 6 would have returned a little more than that.
meh! I guess I won't need that Aspiring I had ready next to me in anticipation of getting a heart attack after I had found out I had won :/
Only missed it by five numbers.
Same here, I missed by 5 as well.
i missed it by six...oh well ...it was worth the dollar...
If I win I am giving money to orphanages...
I'm an orphanage...
You are an opportunist. :)
Okay, I admit it. I am an opportunistic orphanage. (Don't make me look bad in front of my new best friend!)
I'll become an orphanage, and I promise to hire No Priests!
I'm an orphan. Would I get anything?
Let me know if that works.
I could kill my parents and become an orphan.
Or, maybe I could just get them to move to Texas. Surely they'd be executed for something.
Wouldn't it be great to win and be able to give so very much away and never even feel it?.
Best of luck to all of you.I already checked and only got 2 numbers correct.
One right plus the mega. I think I won 3 dollars.
Yes, you won $3. Same as me.
meh, i guess I won't be needing that aspiring I had ready next to me in anticipation of the heart attack after finding out that i had won. :/
I won 2 bucks better then nothing at all
Hey, the mega winner!!! Don't become the superpack for the Republican....give $10 to Obama.
I knew it! Someone HAS to bring politics in. Pathetic.
If I won...I would buy the biggest bag of dope and a half million gallons of Butter Pecan Icecream.
Steve L.-2369556 #18.2 High aspirations indeed!
Yeah, he's really setting the bar high.
(high....get it?)
Thank You....Thank You....I'll be in town all week.
lmao......u going to share???
YES!!!!!!!! I won 7 dollars! Now I can buy a gallon and a half of gas!
well you better buy that 1.5 gal. of gas while you can cause next week you will probably only be able to just get the 1 gal.
There goes the animal shelter I was going to build for this town.. Better luck next time..
What a wonderful thing to do.
Oh, well. The Lord giveth, the IRS taketh away...
The IRS can take away what they need and I wont cry a bit if the Lord Giveth me that jackpot
Fools and their money are soon parted.
For $2, I could dream about being abnoxiously rich all week. Money well spent.
Except for the fool who won. Lighten up bcmech, get the stick out of your ass.
had the 23 and the 23 megaball, +3 bucks, -12 bucks net :/
If your church will not accept you tithe off your winnings, my church will gladly accept it and not rob you of the joy of giving to help others! www.baughchapel.com
I should have won. I have an actual plan.
Darn... I only miss by 6.
i won because i only spent a few on it and i can go to sleep knowing i was not foolish to spend a lot on it.