Mega Millions Lottery
US Mega Millions is one of the largest lotteries in the world, with a jackpot that regularly goes into the hundreds of millions of dollars. The top prize has even climbed higher than $1 billion in the past. Draws are held on Tuesday and Friday evenings in Atlanta, Georgia. Find out more about the American multi-state game, including how to take part in Mega Millions from other locations around the world.
How to Play Mega Millions
Mega Millions tickets are sold in 47 jurisdictions in the U.S. It costs $2 per line, and you can play by following these steps:
- Pick five main numbers from 1 to 70 and one Mega Ball between 1 and 25.
- Select how many consecutive draws to enter in advance
- Decide whether to add the Megaplier option to your ticket
- Pay for your entries
The Megaplier is an option that is available in most states for an additional fee of $1 per line. If you opt in, any non-jackpot prizes you win will be multiplied by the number shown on the Megaplier ball. This Megaplier ball is randomly dispensed before the main draw and will be 2, 3, 4 or 5.
It is now possible to enjoy lotteries that are not based where you live. Online betting services such as Jackpot.com allow you to wager on which numbers which will be drawn. You won't have a paper ticket like someone who has visited a store in the US, but you can still win all the same prizes just for matching numbers in the same way as if you were in a participating state. You also have the advantage of knowing that you will be emailed if you win. Go to the jackpots page to take part in Mega Millions.
Mega Millions Prizes
Mega Millions offers huge prizes in every draw. To win the jackpot, all of your selected numbers must be the same as the winning numbers in the draw you entered. There are also eight other ways to win, starting with a $2 prize for matching the Mega Ball.
The table below shows the different prize categories and the odds of winning in each one. The prizes below the jackpot are fixed amounts in all states apart from California, where laws state that the value of the prizes must all be based on ticket sales and the number of winners in the same tier.
| Prize Category | Odds of Winning | Prize Value |
|---|---|---|
| Match 5 + Mega Ball | 1 in 302,575,350 | Jackpot |
| Match 5 | 1 in 12,607,306 | $1 million |
| Match 4 + Mega Ball | 1 in 931,001 | $10,000 |
| Match 4 | 1 in 38,792 | $500 |
| Match 3 + Mega Ball | 1 in 14,547 | $200 |
| Match 3 | 1 in 606 | $10 |
| Match 2 + Mega Ball | 1 in 693 | $10 |
| Match 1 + Mega Ball | 1 in 89 | $4 |
| Match Mega Ball | 1 in 37 | $2 |
| The overall odds of winning a prize are 1 in 24 | ||
The Mega Millions jackpot rolls over when it is not won and can quickly reach more than $100 million. There is no jackpot cap or rollover limit so it keeps growing until someone matches all the winning numbers.
The largest Mega Millions jackpot ever to be offered was US$1.602 billion and was won in Florida on 8th August 2023. The grand prize was claimed a few weeks after the lucky draw date and the name of the winner, Saltines Holdings, LLC, was released by the Florida Lottery on 27th December 2023. The winner went for the cash option worth $US794.2 million.
How the Megaplier Works
The Megaplier will boost the value of any non-jackpot prize that you win. For example, if you match all five main numbers and just miss out on the Mega Ball, you win $1 million without the Megaplier. If you have added the Megaplier, you could win up to $5 million. You must choose whether to add the Megaplier when you buy your tickets.
Here are the odds of each Megaplier ball being drawn:
| Megaplier | Odds of Being Drawn |
|---|---|
| 2x | 1 in 3 |
| 3x | 1 in 2.5 |
| 4x | 1 in 5 |
| 5x | 1 in 15 |
Just the Jackpot
For $3, American Mega Millions players can play 'Just the Jackpot', which offers the opportunity to bet on two sets of numbers for a chance to win the top prize only. This unique concept is open to players in most states and means you cannot claim any awards in the lower tiers, even if you match some of the numbers drawn.
