Frequently Asked Questions | Mega Millions FAQ (2024)

FAQs

How long can you wait to claim Mega Millions? ›

Your draw game ticket must be postmarked or received by Lottery offices within 180 days of the winning draw date, except that, in the case of Mega Millions and Powerball Jackpots, the tickets must be postmarked or received within one year from the winning draw date.

You will get two plays for $3. This wager will give you a chance to win the jackpot, but no other prize levels. DRAWINGS ARE HELD AT APPROXIMATELY 10:00 P.M. (CT) EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY.

The Megaplier does not affect the odds of winning the jackpot or of any of the secondary prizes. Instead, the Megaplier affects the size of the non-jackpot prizes awarded in a draw. The Megaplier can multiply those prizes by a factor of two, three, four, or five.

Mega Millions® tickets cost $2.00 per play. Players may pick six numbers from two separate pools of numbers - five different numbers from 1 to 70 (the white balls) and one number from 1 to 25 (the gold Mega Ball) - or select Easy Pick/Quick Pick.

According to California public disclosure laws, your name is public record. That means the media will likely attempt to contact you to ask a lot of fun questions about your win! Their efforts are made easier in this day and age of internet search engines.

Winning numbers are posted shortly after each drawing. Information on the number of winners is posted on Wednesday and Saturday mornings after Mega Millions lottery security has verified winning ticket sales.

Each game costs $2. Of the 47 Mega Millions jurisdictions, all but California offer an option, called "Megaplier" (plays with the Megaplier are $3 each) where non-jackpot prizes are multiplied by 2, 3, 4, or 5.

Most states offer the Megaplier feature, a multiplier which increases non-jackpot prizes by two, three, four and five times. It costs an additional $1 per play. Before each regular Mega Millions drawing, the Megaplier is drawn. From a pool of 15 balls, five are marked with "2X," three with "4X" and one with "5X."

Three numbers - $10 again.

Is the Megaplier worth it? The Megaplier doesn't change or improve your odds of winning a Mega Millions prize and can't guarantee that you'll win a prize. But if you do win a non-jackpot prize, Mega Millions Megaplier will significantly boost your total prize amount!

What happens if you get 5 numbers on Mega Millions? ›

You can win a Mega Millions payout with one of nine different number combinations, and the prizes range from $2 to the grand prize. For example: if you match all five numbers but don't match the Mega Ball, you win $1 million. If you only match the Mega Ball, you break even with a $2 payout.

Matching only the Mega Ball

This one number must be the Mega Ball to win a prize. Matching the Mega Ball wins you $2. The odds of winning matching just the Mega Ball are one in 37. If you add the Megaplier to your ticket and the prize is tripled, your $2 prize turns into $6.

The Mega Millions, like any lottery, is a game of chance. Glickman suggests that the best way to increase your chances of winning is to buy more tickets, within reason. For example, if the probability of winning the jackpot is 1 in 302,575,350 with one ticket, it becomes 2 in 302,575,350 if you buy two.

How do you ask the cashier for a Mega Millions ticket? Buying a Mega Millions ticket can be a simple process if you know what you're doing. To buy a ticket in-person, you can either ask for a "Quick Pick" or an "Easy Pick," where a computer will generate numbers randomly, or you can pick the numbers yourself.

The first five numbers range from 1 to 75, and the last number is called the Mega Ball, which can be anywhere from 1 to 15. The Mega Ball can be the same number as the first five, but those numbers will be different. Your winnings are based on how many of your numbers are the same as the numbers listed each week.

For the Mega Millions, the ticket expiration dates are between 90 days and an entire year, depending on your jurisdiction. The easiest way to find out is just to check the lottery website of the state you're playing in. Regardless, most winners don't take that long to claim their prize.

The states use their unclaimed lottery prizes for different purposes, but unclaimed prize money typically remains in a state's lottery fund.

Winners of the lottery can choose to collect their Mega Millions payout amount at once as a lump-sum cash payout or in annual payments as an increasing annuity payout over 30 years.

Winning the Mega Million jackpot creates the need for major financial planning, and you should not attempt this alone. You're going to want both a tax professional and financial advisor who can walk you through the implications of your two payout options: taking the lump sum or choosing an annuity.