With gaudy jackpots and more states, Mega Millions replaces Big Game

ATLANTA - Bye, bye Big Game. Hello Mega Millions. <br> <br> Lottery officials in Atlanta prepared to draw for the final Big Game jackpot Tuesday night while their new multistate game, Mega Millions, waited in the wings with gaudier prizes, more states and much longer odds of winning. <br> <br> Mega Millions, which debuts Friday night, welcomes Ohio and New York to the mix, joining current Big Game states Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey and Virginia. The state of Washington expects to join in September. <br> <br> Mega Millions promises jackpots starting at ten million dollars, double those of the Big Game. And, lottery officials say, the average jackpot will reach $80 million -- with some nearing $500 million. <br> <br> Introduced in 1996, the Big Game was no slouch. It boasted an average jackpot of $47 million and sparked ticket-buying frenzies when drawings reached $363 million in 2000 and $331 million this year, the top two prizes in U.S. history. <br> <br> The final estimated Big Game jackpot Tuesday night was $19 million.

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