Americans have wagered hundreds of millions of dollars on lottery tickets just in the past two days, catapulting a U.S. lottery jackpot to more than $1 billion for only the fourth time ever.
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Why it matters: Millions of people have bought a ticket, dreaming of what they would do with a post-tax lump sum estimated at more than $600 million.
Between the lines: The amount that stands to be won — even after taxes — is greater than the amount being wagered, thanks to the fact that no one has won the MegaMillions jackpot since April 12. It has been rolling over ever since.
Statistically, that means this drawing is a rare positive-sum game — if at least one person wins the jackpot. But that is far from certain.
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