Last Chance: What Will You do With Half-Billion Mega Millions Jackpot?

You didn't win Tuesday night's Mega Millions jackpot? No worries. Neither did anyone else.

Now the Minnesota State Lottery's prize amount for the multi-state game has grown to the highest-ever in the game's 15-year history. Tonight's estimated jackpot sits at $540 million, already up from Wednesday morning's initial estimate of $476 million. The drawing occurs at 10 p.m. local time here in Lakeville, with a 10:45 p.m. cutoff for buying tickets.

And fondly recalling last year's state record $229 million Powerball jackpot winner being sold at a  in Lakeville, some think a local has a shot at correctly matching the elusive numbers for this game. Which has local retailers are being kept busy with ticket buyers.

"It's complete chaos," said Jeremy Hampton, a cashier at Kwik Trip. "Yesterday a guy bought eighty-five tickets. Ticket sales have gone through the roof."

Hampton doesn't have his ticket yet, but he did say he plans to buy some to get in on the craze.

Travis Tyson, an assistant manager at the nearby Holiday Station, said he's never seen anything like the current frenzy.

"It's been crazy," said Tyson. "It seems like every other customer that comes through is picking up some tickets. I've never seen anything like it, in Mega Millions, or any other lottery game."

Of the Top 10 largest prizes ever awarded in the multi-state game, none of the winning tickets have ever been sold in Minnesota. But with more than $500 million at stake in the current game, now would be a fortuitous time to break that streak.

To put the numbers in comparison with some Minnesota figures:

Remember that gigantic contract the Minnesota Timberwolves signed with Kevin Garnett during the 1998 season? Garnett was given $126 million over six years. And he had to work 82 games (plus some playoff games) for that one.

Joe Mauer? Sure, the kid's been scrutinized, but he still signed his "huge" contract a couple of years ago for $184 million over eight years.

That pales in comparison to a potential payout from the Mega Millions lottery. Plus, Joe has to play 162 games a year, plus work out at spring training, for that hefty salary. And there's no guarantee he'll play out eight years.

The only guy who might be in the ballpark (sorry) is Chanhassen-based Prince (or at least he was), who Forbes valued at about $250 million last year.

Speaking of ballparks, you could, conceivably, after some investment perhaps, help the state fund its $398 million portion of the proposed Vikings Stadium. Or, just bail out Minneapolis with its share—a cool $150 million.

Either way, you'd cover a lot of pull tabs.

But before you go out and swap your paycheck for a pie in the sky, you should know that you have a better chance of meeting your demise from a flesh-eating bacteria than you do at striking it rich in the lottery, according to this article by AOL's Daily Finance. 

The estimated odds of winning Friday's record jackpot are 1-in-176 million. You might be safer betting on the Vikings to win the Super Bowl next year (roughly 300-to-1). Again, use caution.

For those still needing to check, Tuesday's winning numbers were 09, 19, 34, 44, 51 and the gold ball of 24.

Besides buying Mom a new house and promoting world peace, what's the one guilty pleasure you would partake in if you won? Yacht? Car? A Caribbean island? Buy the production rights to 'Jersey Shore' and fire Snooki? Tell us in the comments below.