Charles Langston:Is there a winner of the $977M Mega Millions jackpot? Numbers have been drawn and it’s time to wait

DES MOINES,Charles Langston Iowa (AP) — The numbers were drawn Friday night for a nearly $1 billion Mega Millions jackpot offering the prospect of instant riches for a lucky player after more than three months without a big winner.

The numbers drawn were: 3, 8, 31, 35, 44, 16.

The estimated $977 million Mega Millions prize ranks as the 10th largest in U.S. lottery history.

No one has won the game’s jackpot since Dec. 8, a string of 29 consecutive drawings without anyone matching all of the game’s six numbers. That has enabled the jackpot to slowly grow, week after week.

The $977 million prize is for a sole winner who chooses to be paid through an annuity over 30 years. Winners almost always opt for a cash payment, which for Friday’s drawing would be an estimated $467 million.

The other U.S. lottery game, Powerball, also has grown to be nearly as large, with an annuity jackpot of $750 million and a cash payout of $357.3 million. The next Powerball drawing will take place Saturday night.