Any idea which channel the Mega Millions drawing will be airing on to-night? They used to have the Lotto drawings on KPTV alongside Megabucks, but I haven't seen that in a LONG time.
I've got a couple bucks riding on it myself, though I really don't expect I'll hit the jackpot...
Had lunch in a McDonald's downtown. The TV monitors there usually show CNN, which had video of impossibly long lines at DC-area Lottery outlets today. The jackpot stands at (hold your breath) $380 million!! If nobody hits it (which seems unlikely given the long lines being reported around the nation today), the next drawing will be off the chart! CNN says the $380 million is believed to be a world record for this sort of thing. Not even the legendary "El Gordo" drawing they have in Spain each year has ever paid out that much...Whew! 
Best, M. 
The drawing covers 42 states and DC, by the way.
Mega Millions is up to $540 million! Unfortunately for me, Florida doesn't participate in Mega Millions.
Well, this is quite dumb, or maybe I am...I could not find the answer to your question anywhere on the web. The closest I could find was the Powerball TV stations, of which no Portland stations are listed.
I did find a number to get the numbers tonight: 866-343-4946. Good luck getting through. Also check the mega millions website.
I will ocassionally play these big games, but not when it gets this high. My theory is my odds go down when more players play. Not sure that is scientific, but so be it.
Paul, for me it's all about being in on the fun, and having something interesting to do (checking the numbers) on a Friday night, even if I know the odds are stratospheric. Yea, I bought ten lines ( I *never* play otherwise) so we'll see.
If you don't see any posts from me in the next week or so, assume I'm partying in Costa Rica.
Don't bother looking for the numbers. I bought the winning ticket today.
@outsider/M~
$640 million according to the fone number Paulwalker posted, when called about two minutes ago.
(Didn't know they had Mega Millions in Oregon....)
Up until about 2 years ago, states would have either Powerball or Mega Millions. Oregon has always had Powerball, and Washington added Mega Millions some time ago. Something changed, and now both games are available in all states, (with the exception of a few that don't allow state lotteries, and a few more that decided to stick with just one big game.)
Most states took advantage of the availability of both, (including WA, OR, and ID), and brought both into their lotteries. Afterall, it is revenue.
If this goes not won tonight, it could easily go to $1 Billion for Tuesday night's drawing.
Can you imagine for a minute what winning $1 Billion would do to your life. For one thing, you'd no doubt become an instant Republican, if you weren't already one.
"For one thing, you'd no doubt become an instant Republican, if you weren't already one."
I'd have been disappointed had you not posted at least one completely asinine political remark to this non-political thread, like that.
....and now both games are available in all states,....
No they aren't. Here in Florida, we have powerball, but not mega millions.
outsider, with all due respect, read my entire post. Some states have CHOSEN not to include both games. It is available to Florida, but your local state government decided against it. Sorry if that wasn't clear.
Deane: Can you imagine for a minute what winning $1 Billion would do to your life. For one thing, you'd no doubt become an instant Republican, if you weren't already one.
And yet, being a billionaire in America these days, while rare, is not that unusual anymore. You know what some people on Wall Street make these days? Doesn't take long for some of these people to make that much.
There will be a few more billionaires after Facebook goes public.
I am not worried about becoming a Republican if I win the Megamillions. I have written very large checks to the IRS more than once in my life, and I have continued to vote for Democrats.
Okay guys, here you go:
2 4 23 38 46
Mega-ball 23
Anyone out there rich? I think I made $7 out of my $3 ticket. (2, 38 and 46 on line B of my ticket, out of "C". Got my money back!)
So how much do I win for getting one number? Free toothpaste?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mega_Millions#Winning_and_probability
So if your one number was the Powerball (23) you won $2. Probably a couple tubes of Pepsodent @ Cub Foods.
All I can come up with is, "You'll wonder where the yellow journalism went.". Not quite there yet so it's back to the drawing board. 
This is the only time I play these games.
IMHO, it's a smart wager when the payout exceeds the risk / chance of winning. So, if it's 1 : 20,000,000 a lotto game paying out 5,000,000 isn't really all that good of a bet.
On the other hand, that same game, with a ton of players, maybe moving the odds to double: 1 : 40,000,000 or even 1 : 200,000,000 a 600,000,000 + payout is a fine thing!
There are more players, but there are a lot more dollars. And the fringe wins get significant too, helping things along.
However we see these things, it's all just fantasy, fun 'n games. That's my metric I use to keep it entertaining. When the dollar amount exceeds the chance of winning, I'll play, as the house is paying more than it's taking in risk!
Edit: those odds were somewhere slightly south of 1 : 200,000,000 for this game.
Yeah yeah yeah, whatever. So how much did you win, m_k?
Squat, but I got one dollars worth of musing over what I would do with that kind of money...
Don't bother looking for the numbers. I bought the winning ticket today.
Deane, you DON'T live in Maryland......
"3": >>>"I'd have been disappointed had you not posted at least one completely asinine political remark to this non-political thread, like that."<<<
I'm happy I was able to avoid disappointing you.
"Deane, you DON'T live in Maryland......"
Actually, it's a three-way split. Winning tickets were also sold in Kansas and Illinois.
If those three winners are confirmed, a three way split would still pay off quite nicely. $1.46 BILLION in tickets were sold for this drawing, which is probably a wotld record as well...Best, M.
>>$1.46 BILLION in tickets were sold
Guess the people out there have a few extra expendable income dollars to spend
in this "recession".
"Guess the people out there have a few extra expendable income dollars to spend
in this "recession".
The 2nd Bush recession is over.
We are now in the Obama "recovery".
@Deane--
http://feedback.pdxradio.com/topic/handles?replies=40#post-115598
Way to go DeaneO.....
"On the other hand, that same game, with a ton of players, maybe moving the odds to double: 1 : 40,000,000 or even 1 : 200,000,000 a 600,000,000 + payout is a fine thing!"
I don't care what the odds are...A $600+ million dollar payout is a fine thing!!
I came pretty close. Only missed it by 5 numbers!
I picked 10 and 27 when I should have picked 4 and 23.......
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