Winning Numbers Mega Millions, July 8, 2016: $540M Jackpot

The winning numbers in Friday's drawing for the $540 million Mega Millions jackpot on Friday, July 8, 2016 are:

• 8-19-20-55-73 with a mega ball of 5

The one-time cash payout option for Friday's game was estimated at $380 million. If no one wins

If no one wins the jackpot, the money is added to the jackpot for the next drawing. Overall chances of winning a prize are 1 in 15.

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A March 2012 Mega Millions jackpot of $656 million held the record for the largest lotto jackpot in U.S. history until three winners split the almost $1.6 billion Powerball prize in the Jan. 13, 2016, drawing. Mega Millions has awarded 10 jackpots of more than $300 million.

The prize ranks as the seventh-largest jackpot in the United States of all lottery games, including Powerball, officials said, and the third-largest prize for the Mega Millions game in its history.

Lucky Port Huron?

If you’re superstitious, you may want to travel to Port Huron to buy a tickets. The last Michigan player to win the jackpot, Kelsey Zachow, lives in Port Huron. She claimed her $66 million prize in June 2014, according to the Michigan Lottery.

Mega Millions drawings take place each Tuesday and Friday evening. Each Mega Millions play is only $1. For an additional $1 per play, players have the opportunity to add a “Megaplier” that can multiply non-jackpot prizes by up to five times.

Mega Millions tickets for Friday’s drawing may be purchased at the Lottery’s 11,000 retailers around Michigan until 10:45 p.m. Friday. You can find a list here.

Image credit: Steven Tom via Flickr / Creative Commons