Mega Millions jackpot up to $640 million

If only the stock market would rise like this.

Tonight's Mega Millions jackpot has risen for the fourth straight day, now up to an astronomical $640 million for the annuity - about $67,000 a day - or $462 million in cash.

In $100 bills, that's more than five tons of cash.

In $1 bills, it's 500 tons.

Don't even think about pennies.

Good thing they won't make the winner cart it away in wheelbarrows.

The drawing is at 11 p.m., but sales stop at 9:59 p.m. Eastern time. In Philadelphia, the drawing is televised at 11:25 p.m. on 6ABC.

The jackpots blow away all previous records.

Indeed, the cash jackpot, payable in one lump sum, is now higher than any previous annuity, payable over 25 years.

The old mark for annuities, set in March 2007, was $390 million, split by a Cape May County couple and a Georgia trucker.

This jackpot smashed that Tuesday night, rolling over to $476 million, only to see that hiked Wednesday morning to $500 million - a half-billion dollars - and $540 million Thursday morning. Wild sales have fueled the string of soaring estimates.

The old mark for cash, set in January 2011, was $240 million, won in Idaho and Washington State.

Most winners collect the cash.

For more on lotteries, go to www.philly.com/philly/news/lottery, www.palottery.com or www.njlottery.net.