The Mega Millions jackpot was inching towards a US lottery record, soaring to $586m (€426m) amid a frenzy of ticket purchases and raising the possibility that the prize could pass the billion-dollar mark by Christmas Eve.

A retired truck driver claimed a €192m Mega Millions jackpot, calling the second largest single-ticket lottery pay out in history “no big thing to me”.

One person won at least $230m (€181m) in the Mega Millions lottery, becoming the biggest winner in the game’s history.