Mega Millions Jackpot Tops $540 Million: Drawing Today

A half billion dollars. 

If you're having difficulty wrapping your mind around this number, consider this: If the current Mega Millions Jackpot was divided equally among every American, we'd all get roughly $1.60–enough to buy another Mega Millions ticket.

Growing by leaps and bounds, today's $540 million pot is now the highest-ever in the game's 15-year history. Before this week, the Mega Millions jackpot had never broken the $400 million mark.

The next drawing occurs at 11 tonight, with a 10:45 p.m. cutoff for buying tickets. Tickets are $1.

Although the odds of winning are 1 in about 176 million–according to the official Mega Millions website–even the chance of winning this windfall is hard to pass up.

, Patch asked its readers what they would do with that kind of moolah. Here's what some of them said:

• : I would love to have an opportunity to restore, preserve many of the early 20th century buildings in downtown Detroit.
• : If I won I would establish a few group homes for teenage mother's and their children...providing them all the tools and education that they need to be a sucess personally and in the career of their choice.
• : I would go back to college and pay for my wife's college. Then I would start fixing up Detroit.
• : I would give most of it away to family and friends and charity.
• : I would pay off every bill, set up college funds for my children and my nieces and nephews, and then embark on a very nice vacation. What I tell work....I haven't yet worked out.
• : I would do exactly what I am doing right now, but with alot more intesity! We should all be living the life we dream of, money does not buy happiness. Money will allow you do to more than you currently can, but live the dream every day!

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