JACKSON, MISS. – Fueled by nationwide excitement, the Mega Millions jackpot reached an estimated $1,025 billion for Friday’s drawing, while the Tuesday evening drawing produced a $30,000 winner in Vicksburg.

The lucky ticket in Mississippi was at a Circle K store. The player added the Megaplier option for an additional $1 and turned an otherwise $10,000 winning ticket into a $30,000 winner, according to the Mississippi Lottery Corporation.

The $1.025 billion annuitized jackpot — currently worth $602.5 million as a lump sum payment — is the third-highest in Mega Millions history and ranks as the fourth-largest in the history of lotteries in the United States. This is the third time a Mega Millions jackpot has topped the $1 billion mark. The largest Mega Millions jackpot was $1,537 billion won in South Carolina on Oct. 23, 2018.

Friday night’s drawing will be the 30th in this jackpot run, which began April 19 after the jackpot was won in Tennessee on April 15. Since that drawing, Mega Millions has generated more than 28.1 million tickets winning lesser amounts, including 42 winners of $1 million or more. Players can increase the prize amounts on non-jackpot winning tickets by adding the “Megaplier” feature for $1 per play.

Excitement about the drawing caused the shutdown of the Mega Millions website for more than two hours Tuesday night, and the pace of sales pushed Mega Millions authorities to revise the estimated jackpot upward twice after the July 22 drawing.

Having trouble imagining $1 billion? Think of it as 11 tons of $100 bills – with 46 pounds of $100 bills on the side.

Wednesday night’s Powerball jackpot is $145 million, and Thursday’s Mississippi Match 5 estimated jackpot is worth $372,000.

“Of course, we want people to enjoy playing and participating in the excitement of a high jackpot, but we also urge our players to stay within their limits and to play responsibly,” said Jeff Hewitt, president of the Mississippi Lottery Corporation.

Where to play

The Mississippi Lottery has 1,900 retailers throughout the state. Find a retailer near you on our website: www.mslotteryhome.com.

How to play

Want to learn how to get in on the excitement? Watch how-two videos on the Mississippi Lottery website to see how each draw game and scratch-off game is played.

Watch the drawings

Watch the Mega Millions and Powerball drawings live on WJTV in Jackson, WXXV on the Gulf Coast, WCBI in Columbus, WMDN and WGBC in Meridian or WHLT in Hattiesburg, or go watch the live drawing on your computer or smartphone at the Mississippi Lottery website, www.mslotteryhome.com.

Players also can check their numbers at retail locations or the lottery website.