"We are creating a game that both our existing players and people new to Mega Millions will love and get excited about playing," Joshua Johnston, Lead Director of the Mega Million

A Mega Millions player is waking up a mega-millionaire this morning after one ticket hit the $1.22 billion jackpot on Friday, Dec. 27.

Apple’s iPhone 16 costs $799 per phone. The jackpot winner could buy 1,251,564 phones, which is more than enough for the population of the state of South Dakota, which is estimated at 924,669, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Mega Millions, the national lottery known for its high-stakes jackpots, has reached $1.15 billion for the next drawing Friday.

The Mega Millions jackpot surged to $1.15 billion on Wednesday after no ticket matched the numbers drawn on Tuesday, the lottery said. The numbers drawn on Christmas Eve were 11, 14, 38, 45, 46 and gold Mega Ball 3. The Mega Millions jackpot has only been won on Christmas Eve once before, according to the game.

The jackpot for the Dec. 27 drawing is $1.15 billion, according to Mega Millions. It's the fifth largest jackpot in the game's history. Mega Millions tickets are sold in 45 states, Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

A Mega Millions ticket worth $1 million was won by one lucky player in Mercer County on New Year's Eve. The winning ticket was sold at Speedy Mart Food Store at 1097 Parkway Avenue in West Trenton. It matched all five white balls: 13,

The grand prize now rises to an estimated $42 million, with a cash option of approximately $18.8 million. /iStockphoto Mega Millions tickets sold in Florida, Minnesota and New Jersey won $1 million, just missing the $20 million jackpot,