Lottery Jackpot Surpasses $600 Million

Approaching record set last year

After no ticket matched the numbers needed to win Friday's $425 million drawing, a surge in weekend ticket sales has pushed the jackpot ever closer to the $656 million U.S. record set in March 2012. by late Tuesday morning, it had reached $636 million. 

If no prize is claimed for a 22nd consecutive drawing, tonight, the next drawing could break that mark.

Mega Millions is played by selecting five numbers from 1 to 75, and then a "Mega Ball" from 1 to 15.

Paula Otto, executive director of the Virginia Lottery and Mega Millions' lead director, said weekend sales were up by as much as 20 percent in states that reported numbers.