Who wouldn't like to start out the weekend as a brand new millionaire? If that's what you had in mind when you bought your Mega Millions ticket, you might want to tune in at 11 p.m. Eastern Time; that's when the draw for tonight's $44 million jackpot is set to take place at the studios of WSB-TV, Atlanta's ABC affiliate.

If you happen to hit the jackpot and want to take home every last penny, the total prize will be paid out in annual installments over a 29-year period. Otherwise, you have the option of an immediate lump sum payout of about $26 million.

The lottery's winning numbers from the last drawing on June 16 were 8, 19, 26, 56 and 67; the Mega Ball number was 14; and the Megaplier number was 2, according to the game's official website.

The estimated jackpot had been $35 million, but no one matched the winning Mega Millions numbers on that day, Online Casino Archives noted. The highest payout, in fact, went to a player who matched four of the main numbers, the bonus ball and the Megaplier and thus took home $10,000, the website added.

The last time a lucky participant took home the Mega Millions jackpot was on June 2 when the big prize had reached a sizable $260 million -- or $158 million in case of an immediate payout; the golden ticket had been purchased his ticket at a grocery store in the Chicago suburb of Blue Island, Illinois, according to The Associated Press.

Mega Millions drawings take place every Tuesday and Friday, and the draw entry closes at 10:45 p.m. Eastern Time. Tickets to the game are sold in 43 states, the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands -- a total of 45 jurisdictions. The odds of winning any prize are about 1 in 15, but your chances of hitting the jackpot are only about 1 in 259 million.

If you want to find out how close you are to a similar feat, you can watch a live stream of the Mega Millions drawings at 11 p.m. Eastern Time below.


megamillions on livestream.com. Broadcast Live Free