The Mega Millions jackpot keeps climbing because apparently none of us can pick the right six numbers.

Friday night's drawing came and went without a grand prize winner, pushing the estimated jackpot for Tuesday's drawing to $199 million. That's a cash value of about $90.5 million for those of you who want your money now (which is the objectively correct choice, by the way).

The Quick Hit

• Tuesday's jackpot: $199 million (cash value: $90.5 million)
• Friday's numbers: 12, 30, 36, 42, 47 — Mega Ball: 16
• Grand prize winner: Nobody
• Next drawing: Tuesday, January 14 at 11:00 PM ET

The Numbers Nobody Hit

Friday's winning combination was 12, 30, 36, 42, 47 with a Mega Ball of 16. If you had that ticket, you'd be reading this from a yacht. But you didn't. Neither did the other 302 million-to-one longshots who tried.

Seven fourth-place winning tickets were sold in New York alone — those lucky degenerates matched four out of five numbers but missed the Mega Ball. That's worth between $1,000 and $2,500 depending on the Megaplier. Nice consolation, but not life-changing.

The Inevitable Math Talk

Your odds of winning Mega Millions sit at roughly 1 in 302.6 million. To put that in perspective:

• You're more likely to be struck by lightning (1 in 15,300)
• More likely to become a movie star (1 in 1.5 million)
• More likely to be attacked by a shark (1 in 3.7 million)

But you know what? Every ticket that wins started with someone saying "fuck it" and buying in anyway.

Why Cash Value Is the Move

Some people look at the $199 million jackpot and the $90.5 million cash value and think "I'll take the annuity for more money." Those people are wrong.

Here's why:

1. Time value of money: A dollar today is worth more than a dollar in 29 years
2. Investment returns: Even conservative investments can outpace the annuity's built-in growth
3. You might die: Morbid but true — the annuity pays over 30 years
4. Taxes happen either way: Both options get taxed; might as well control your own money

Take the cash. Trust me.

The Dream

$90.5 million after taxes probably leaves you with somewhere around $50-60 million depending on your state. What does that buy?

• Freedom from work forever
• A house wherever you want
• A second house wherever you want
• Every game with great seats
• Unlimited bankroll for the tables (not recommended but we're degenerates)
• Generational wealth for your family

The Powerball jackpot this Saturday sits at $124 million, so there's another shot at life-changing money if Mega Millions doesn't hit for you.

And remember — that $1.8 billion Powerball winner from Christmas Eve came out of nowhere. Someone in Arkansas bought a ticket and became a billionaire. It happens.

The Bottom Line

Mega Millions is at $199 million. The odds are astronomical. The dream is real anyway.

Tickets cost $5. You probably spend more than that on coffee this week. What's one more longshot in a life full of them?

Tuesday, January 14. 11:00 PM ET. Be there or be poor.

(We'll all still be poor. But we'll be poor with hope.)