By: Najla Alexander
NJ Lottery officials stated that the Mega Millions jackpot had cleared half a billion dollars after no ticket matched all the winning numbers in Tuesday’s drawing.
The jackpot for the multi-state game now stands at about $514 million heading into Friday’s drawing.
According to NJ lottery officials, one New Jersey player matched four of the five numbers and the Mega Ball to win $10,000 Tuesday at a 7-Eleven in Lyndhurst, Bergen County.
The current jackpot is the largest since Sept. 10, when a Texas player drew the winning numbers for an $800 million jackpot, lottery officials said.
Lottery officials stated that other massive wins this year came in June when a player in Illinois hit $560 million after the well-publicized $1.13 billion jackpot a New Jersey player won in March.
The next drawing is Friday, Nov. 29, at 11 p.m., officials say.
NJ lottery authorities said that all New Jersey Lottery Mega Millions tickets must be purchased before 10:45 p.m. to participate in the drawing.
Mega Millions tickets cost two dollars; by adding the Megaplier option for an extra dollar per play, players can increase their non-jackpot winnings up to five times, Lottery officials say. 
Mega Millions tickets are sold in 47 participating U.S. jurisdictions. Drawings are held on Tuesdays and Fridays.