( NewsNation ) — Hang onto those stocking-stuffer lottery tickets.
The Mega Millions jackpot has surpassed $1 billion after no ticket matched all six numbers drawn on Christmas Eve. That means the estimated jackpot for Friday’s drawing is $1.15 billion, potentially the fifth-largest jackpot in the game’s history.
These are the best, worst states to win the lottery in
Overall it’s been an unlucky year for lottery players. The Mega Millions jackpot has only been won three times, the fewest wins in a single year since the game began.
That’s not shocking given the probability. The odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 302,575,350.
Can you increase the odds of winning the Mega Millions jackpot?
To put that in perspective: You have a better chance of getting hit by lightning or attacked by a grizzly bear in Yellowstone National Park ( 1 in 3.5 million ).
The jackpot was last won in Texas on Sept. 10. Since then, there have been 29 drawings but nobody has taken home the grand prize.