The next Mega Millions jackpot will likely make history.

Before this week, the record Mega Millions jackpot was $1.537 billion won in South Carolina on Oct. 23, 2018. But, after no ticket matched all six numbers drawn Friday night – white balls 11, 30, 45, 52 and 56, plus the gold Mega Ball 20 – the next estimated jackpot rolls to $1.55 billion. If the jackpot reaches that level, it will be a new record for the biggest Mega Millions prize ever.

“It’s exciting to watch Mega Millions grow,” said Georgia Lottery President and CEO Gretchen Corbin, lead director of the Mega Millions Consortium. “As the jackpot climbs ever higher, we thank our players and retailers for their support, which benefits the many good causes funded by our participating lotteries.”

If someone does win the big prize, they can opt to take payments over 29 years or opt for the cash option of $757.2 million.

This year started out with six jackpot winners in less than four months, a number that’s more typical of a full year, according to lottery officials. The first was a big one – $1.348 billion won in Maine on Jan. 13, which at the time was the second-largest prize awarded in Mega Millions history.

That was followed by three quick wins. The very next drawing, on Jan. 17, produced a $20 million win in New York. Two drawings later, $33 million was won in Massachusetts on Jan. 24, and just two drawings after that, Massachusetts repeated with another jackpot win, this time at $31 million. Then came two more wins in New York, at $483 million on April 14 followed by $20 million on April 18. That was the first time in Mega Millions history that two jackpots have been won in the same state in consecutive drawings.

Mega Millions is the only lottery game that has awarded four jackpots exceeding $1 billion – one each in 2018, 2021, 2022 and 2023.

Tickets are $2 each and are sold in 45 states, but not Alabama. Drawings are conducted at 11 p.m. ET (10 p.m. CT) on Tuesdays and Fridays in Atlanta.