The odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 302 million, according to lottery organizers, and the last Mega Millions jackpot was won in Texas on Sept. 10 for $810 million. Mega Millions is played in 45 states as well as Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Friday’s drawing is at 8 p.m.

If you stand to claim a Mega Millions jackpot, or any other lottery prize, one of the first things you should do is seek out advice from financial experts.

Americans still dreaming of a really big Christmas present can keep that dream alive during Friday's Mega Millions drawing for a jackpot worth an estimated $1.15 billion. Friday’s jackpot will potentially be the fifth largest in the game's history.