The Mega Millions jackpot hits $1 billion before the Christmas Eve drawing

Someone might be looking at a ho-ho-lot of green for Christmas this year – and it won’t be the Grinch.

The Mega Millions The jackpot hit $1 billion ahead of Tuesday night’s drawing, according to the lottery’s website. A winner who chooses a lump sum option will receive less than half of this amount.

Although $448.8 million will still fill quite a few stockings.

If someone has a Mega Millions jackpot ticket, it would be the biggest prize ever won in December.

The draw takes place at 11 PM ET on Christmas Eve, which means one lucky winner will have an extra special Christmas Day.

Some of the biggest wins in Mega Millions history have occurred in the past few years. The biggest prize was awarded last year to a single winner from Florida, whose ticket collected a jackpot of 1.6 billion.