What would you do with $1.58 billion? We talk to locals about highest Mega Millions in history

Tuesday night could be the night you or someone you know gets lucky.

The Mega Millions drawing is Tuesday at 8 p.m. PST and someone could become a billionaire! The jackpot now stands at $1.58 billion. This is the highest jackpot in Mega Millions history and there are two ways the winner can choose their payout according to the Mega Millions website:

Annuity: “The Mega Millions annuity is paid out as one immediate payment followed by 29 annual payments. Each payment is 5% bigger than the previous one. This helps protect winners’ lifestyle and purchasing power in periods of inflation.”

Cash: “A one-time, lump-sum payment that is equal to the cash in the Mega Millions jackpot prize pool.”

Historically, winners usually opt for the cash payment which is $783.3 million dollars before taxes and other deductions.

With that much money, there are a few flashy items you could purchase at once like The Space Needle ($79 million), the entire Seattle Storm basketball team ($151 million), and Bill Gates’ Medina mansion ($130 million) with approximately $400 million left to spend.

But in Auburn, people told us they’d opt for something more practical like homes for each of their family members or helping the homeless.

“If I win this a whole lot of unfortunate people will become fortunate,” said Auburn resident Christina Alexander.

If you miss Tuesday’s drawing, don’t forget to check your ticket online. If a winner is not found following Tuesday’s drawing, the next will be Friday, August 11.

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