Mega Millions Jackpot Up To $1 Billion; Illinois Lottery Giving Away 1,000 Tickets
Mega Millions has reached its largest jackpot ever, and the Illinois Lottery is celebrating by giving away hundreds of free tickets.
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Mega Millions has reached its largest jackpot ever, and the Illinois Lottery is celebrating by giving away hundreds of free tickets.
The drawing is tonight for the $970 million Mega Millions jackpot, the second largest lottery jackpot in U.S. history.
The winner of the $548 million jackpot would have a cash option of $309 million.
The Mega Millions jackpot has swelled to its third largest total ever, after no one picked all six winning numbers on Tuesday.
The Mega Millions drawing for $227 million dollars is set for Friday night. The winner will get a cash option of $134 million.
The Illinois Mega Millions jackpot has reached $512 million for tonight's drawing.
The jackpot in the Mega Millions lottery in Illinois has reached $283 million after there was no winner in Tuesday night's drawing, lottery officials said Friday.
The Illinois Lottery and Illinois Department of Public Health are teaming up for a new instant win game to fight against HIV and AIDS.
There may be a millionaire out there who doesn't even know it.
While there was no winner in Wednesday's drawing, players won prizes worth $2.00 to $10,000.
The "Lucky Day Lotto" ticket was sold at One Eleven Food & Liquor, 111 N. Kedzie Ave., according to the Illinois Lottery.
Alex Seol won $40,000 in the Mega Millions drawing when his ticket matched four of the five winning numbers.
The Quick Pick ticket was bought at INS Market, 225 N. Michigan, and matched all five numbers – 03, 07, 22, 27 and 50.
Ramone Houston's Lucky Day Lotto ticket matched all five numbers in the Oct. 14 midday drawing, according to the Illinois Lottery.
Last Friday, the Illinois Lottery had to stop selling a certain number combination for its Pick Three game. WBBM's Steve Miller explains.
Convenience store owner Glen Gorman said his business will be hurt by losing those games, especially with extremely large jackpots.
If the state can't get its budget together, lottery operators will cease selling Powerball and Mega Millions tickets.
Illinois Lottery players who buy tickets for Powerball and Mega Millions could soon have to cross state lines for a chance at those huge jackpots.
And it could cost millions more just to get rid of them, CBS 2's Dana Kozlov reports.
It's the worst case scenario for any avid lottery player -- you play and win, then have to fight for your money.
The Illinois Lottery has announced the latest version of a scratch-off game to benefit researchers seeking a cure for Multiple Sclerosis.
Larry Seeman, 47, said he plans to put the prize money he won from the Ultimate Crossword lottery ticket in the bank.
He is a custodian and now a millionaire. Dave Martinez bought a winning scratch off lottery ticket at a North Suburban gas station last month.
A Lucky Day Lotto ticket worth $600,000 has not been claimed since it was sold at at northwest suburban Hoffman Estates gas station.
A Lockport man won $1 million after scratching off an Illinois Lottery '$300,000,000 Cash Spectacular' ticket while watching the Cubs game at home.
Andrew Benintendi hit a tiebreaking three-run homer in the ninth inning that lifted the Chicago White Sox over the Arizona Diamondbacks 4-1 for their third win in four games.
The CTA is halting trains on its Red, Yellow, and Purple lines on the North Side after a train derailed near the Howard terminal during the Thursday evening rush.
A Chicago area woman has turned her moments of sadness and joy into a one-person play that gives back to those battling dementia.
There are 22 city of Chicago crews out on our roads filling potholes across the city day in and day out.
Dansby Swanson had his first game-ending hit in five years, and the Chicago Cubs rebounded from a pair of blown leads to beat Philadelphia 8-7 in 10 innings for their ninth straight win and the Phillies' ninth loss in a row.
The Justice Department's internal watchdog said it will audit the department's compliance with the law that required the release of the Epstein files.
President Trump intends to nominate David Cummins to lead the Transportation Security Administration, according to a person familiar with the decision.
The order places FDA-approved products containing marijuana and state-regulated medical marijuana products at a lower drug classification.
The Senate adopted a budget resolution after a six-hour "vote-a-rama," with the GOP moving forward to fund ICE without Democrats.
Will Chicago see another surge in immigration raids like last year's Operation Midway Blitz? That was a topic on Capitol Hill as Chicagoans testified at a congressional hearing about their encounters with Border Patrol and ICE agents.
In the legal venue of anti-trust enforcement, the state is not taking on the Trump administration, but rather filling a void that state officials say the Trump administration has vacated.
A passenger on an American Airlines flight from New York to Chicago has been charged with making a false bomb threat that forced an emergency landing at Detroit Metro Airport last month, according to a federal criminal complaint.
Skyrocketing property taxes continue to be a hot-button issue in Cook County — particularly since last fall, when many residents saw their tax bills increase by 100% or more.
Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias this weekend issued a warning about a surge in text messages that falsely claim to come from his office or the DMV within it.
Tenants at a South Loop luxury high-rise that has been plagued with problems like broken elevators are vowing to fight five-day eviction notices.
A new $48 million wellness center opened Thursday in the West Garfield Park neighborhood. The goal is to improve the health and quality of life for people on the West Side of Chicago.
La Rabida Children's Hospital went all out for Earth Day on Wednesday, with volunteer cleanup efforts by staffers and activities for patients and families.
It has been several weeks since West Suburban Medical Center in Oak Park, Illinois, abruptly shut down — and then on Wednesday, it just as swiftly partially reopened, with some services available.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says more than 80% of deaths related to pregnancy are preventable, and Black women are three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white women.
The United States has long struggled with understanding and finding ways to help treat mental illness. A new documentary, which is screening Saturday in Chicago, examines the reality of living with mental illness in America.
At a meeting on Tuesday, the Lincolnwood Village Board approved a pre-development agreement with the mall, providing a roadmap with the property owner for further preparations and government approvals for redevelopment.
The only remaining location of Pal Joey's pizzeria in Batavia, Illinois, will soon be going out of business, its owner announced this week.
Investment research firm Morningstar could move into the Thompson Center in downtown Chicago once Google is done renovating the former Illinois state government building.
Trader Joe's is planning to open a new location at the Lincoln Village Shopping Center in Chicago's North Park neighborhood, the office of Ald. Debra Silverstein (50th) recently announced.
The satirical news outlet The Onion has a new plan to take over conspiracy theorist Alex Jones' Infowars platforms and turn them into parodies.
Tickets for the 2026 Ravinia Festival season went on sale Thursday morning.
The satirical news outlet The Onion has a new plan to take over conspiracy theorist Alex Jones' Infowars platforms and turn them into parodies.
Emily Saliers, one-half of the Atlanta folk duo The Indigo Girls, has revealed that she has been diagnosed with two incurable movement disorders that will forever change the way that she sings.
Blues icon and world music pioneer Taj Mahal will be headlining the Chicago Blues Festival this June.
The United States has long struggled with understanding and finding ways to help treat mental illness. A new documentary, which is screening Saturday in Chicago, examines the reality of living with mental illness in America.
The CTA is halting trains on its Red, Yellow, and Purple lines on the North Side after a train derailed near the Howard terminal during the Thursday evening rush.
Hyde Park is one of Chicago's most iconic neighborhoods. Nestled on the city's South Side, it's the birthplace of improv comedy and the company now known as The Second City, is home to Promontory Point, is the neighborhood where Barack Obama got his political start (and where the rock commemorating his and Michelle's first kiss can be found), and where the Atomic Age was birthed under the University of Chicago football stadium. And of course, its crown jewel is the University of Chicago itself, one of the country's most prestigious and storied universities. U of C isn't just known for its stellar academics and the dozens of notable figures its produced; it's also a founding Big 10 school and the "Monsters of the Midway" nickname? Yeah, the Bears stole that from them.
Scattered showers and storms overnight Thursday into Friday. Lows in the low 60s.
The National Guard is sending 150 troops to southeast Georgia to help with raging wildfires.
Following a second round of peace talks at the White House, the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon has been extended by three weeks. Meantime, peace talks between Iran and the U.S. remain stalled, and the Strait of Hormuz remains closed.
The man killed in a Little Village shooting Wednesday was a well-known neighborhood fruit vendor with a wife and baby who were just steps away when gunfire erupted, neighbors said.
The CTA is halting trains on its Red, Yellow, and Purple lines on the North Side after a train derailed near the Howard terminal during the Thursday evening rush.
A man was injured Thursday morning in an apparent road rage shooting near Union Station in Chicago.
Andrew Benintendi hit a tiebreaking three-run homer in the ninth inning that lifted the Chicago White Sox over the Arizona Diamondbacks 4-1 for their third win in four games.
A Chicago area woman has turned her moments of sadness and joy into a one-person play that gives back to those battling dementia.
There are 22 city of Chicago crews out on our roads filling potholes across the city day in and day out.
Michaels spent years as an advocate for sexual assault survivors, putting pressure on Congress and speaking out on behalf of Jeffrey Epstein survivors, like herself.
Residents in one part of Chicago's Noble Square neighborhood say they've been dealing with cars careening off the Kennedy Expressway and crashing into their front yard for decades, and the state won't help.
Madeline Morgan said she was repeatedly stalked and abused, even though the man responsible was forced to wear an electronic monitoring bracelet, which was cut off.
Chicago deals with the worst traffic congestion in the U.S., according to the 2025 Global Traffic Scorecard from INRIX, a transportation analytics company.
Andrew Benintendi hit a tiebreaking three-run homer in the ninth inning that lifted the Chicago White Sox over the Arizona Diamondbacks 4-1 for their third win in four games.
Dansby Swanson had his first game-ending hit in five years, and the Chicago Cubs rebounded from a pair of blown leads to beat Philadelphia 8-7 in 10 innings for their ninth straight win and the Phillies' ninth loss in a row.
A year after his passing, the late Chicago Bears legend Steve "Mongo" McMichael is being honored for advancing CTE research.
Here is what to know about where and when to watch the 2026 NFL Draft.
The Cubs have outscored their opponents 58-20 during the franchise's longest win streak since it also won eight in a row from July 21-29, 2023.
The family of a 16-year-old boy who was shot and killed while waiting for the bus near Hyde Park Academy High School said they believe the shooting was sparked by a minor argument earlier in the day at school.
A woman was ordered detained Thursday on charges that she shot and wounded three men on busy Irving Park Road in the Chicago neighborhood of the same name earlier this month.
A lockdown was lifted at Evanston Township High School on Thursday afternoon, after shots were fired at a park near the school.
Matthew Keirans used William Woods's identity for decades, then manipulated police into prosecuting Woods, who spent 428 days in jail and 147 days in a mental hospital before DNA evidence proved his innocence.
Chicago police are searching for a man wanted in an act of public indecency on a CTA 'L' train in Chicago's Lincoln Park neighborhood.
