The probability of hitting all six numbers of a Mega Millions drawing is about 1 in 175 million, but the what-would-I-do-with-all-that-money thought experiment still tantalizes players. Some examples of exactly how much money is up for grabs Tuesday night (before taxes, of course): a winning ticket would dwarf Alex Rodriguez’s 10-year, $250 million contract with the New York Yankees, the largest ever in sports.
It would also best James Cameron’s earnings in 2010–the year his movie Avatar, the highest-grossing film ever, broke records. The jackpot is worth more than the GDP of some small island nations like Kiribati and Palau.
