TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — That's a whole lot of cash!
An estimated $922 million is up for grabs this week as America's dueling jackpots, Mega Millions and Powerball, continue to climb.
On Friday, September 17, the Mega Millions jackpot rose to an estimated $432 million and on Monday, September 20, the Powerball went up to an estimated $490 million.
Sadly though, if the lottery was easy to win, we'd all be rich. There are a lot of things far more likely to happen.
According to Lottery USA, the odds of winning the Mega Millions jackpot are 1 in 302.6 million, while the odds of winning the Powerball jackpot are 1 in 292.2 million.
Insider actually made a list of things that are more likely to happen.
1. Being Killed by Hornets, Wasps or Bees
As painful as a bee or wasp sting is, chances are it won’t kill you. The National Safety Council estimated the odds of dying by a hornet, wasp or bee sting are 1 in 54,093.
2. Becoming President of the United States
If you had your hopes set on the Oval Office, the chances of becoming president could be about 1 in 32.6 million, according to The Motley Fool. Those odds increase drastically when you’re between the ages of 40 and 72, have a law degree, are a military veteran or a man of faith above six feet tall.
3. Becoming a Movie Star
You can't have it all, right? Apparently, fame and fortune don’t go hand-in-hand. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the mean hourly pay for actors was $32.89 per hour as of May 2017. Although few acting jobs will put you on the A-list, landing a role for a big-screen film is far easier than winning the lottery. You’re better off buying a plane ticket to Los Angeles than spending the national average of just over $200 on lottery tickets a year.
4. Going to the Emergency Room With a Pogo Stick-Related Injury
To be fair, pogo sticks are hard to use. Just be aware that if you have the misfortune of spending an afternoon on one, your chances of bouncing your way into the ER are about 1 in 115,300, according to Deseret News.
5. Having Conjoined Twins
Your odds of birthing conjoined twins are about 1 in 200,000, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Your odds of giving birth to normal identical twins? About 1 in 250.
Basically what we're trying to say is, you don't have a great chance of winning, but hey, if you're going to play, why not do it responsibly?
According to the Florida Lottery, Jackpot winners have the option to receive their winnings in 30 annual installments or as a one-time, lump-sum cash option.
And don't forget to sign the back of your ticket and keep it in a safe place!
The next MEGA MILLIONS drawing will be held Tuesday, Sept. 21, at 11:00 p.m., ET, tickets must be purchased by 10:00 p.m., ET to be eligible for this drawing. The next Powerball drawing is Wednesday, Sept. 22, 2021.