Jackpot is expected to grow to an estimated $257 million.

(Reuters) – Mega Millions rule changes aimed at creating bigger and faster-growing jackpots boosted the potential top prize for Friday’s drawing to an estimated $230 million, but no winning ticket had been sold, pushing higher the potential haul, lottery officials said.

For the next drawing – slated for December 3 at 11 p.m. Eastern Time – the jackpot is expected to grow to an estimated $257 million.

If the winner chose to take a cash prize instead of an annuity, it would amount to $139 million, according to the Mega Millions website. www.megamillions.com.

By comparison, the largest jackpot in history stands at $656 million and was won in the Mega Millions lottery in March 2012. The prize was split among winners in Maryland, Kansas and Illinois.

The rule changes went into effect on October 22 and since no one matched all the numbers drawn on Tuesday, the November 29 jackpot was expected to keep growing to an estimated $230 million, some $125 million if the winner chose a cash prize.

The winning numbers from Friday night’s nationwide drawing were: 9, 41, 43, 47, 57, and 5, Mega Millions said.

(Reporting by Barbara Goldberg and Eric M. Johnson; Editing by Robin Pomeroy)

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