Mega Millions is a multi-jurisdictional $1 lottery game in the United States. There are 12 jurisdictions that have Mega Millions, while 33 others, including the District of Columbia, and the US Virgin Islands, offer Powerball, Mega Millions' main competitor. There are some differences in playing Mega Millions among its jurisdictions (details below).
Since May 2002, Mega Millions' advertised jackpots have started at US $12 million paid over 26 years, increasing when there is no jackpot winner. Reflecting common practice among American lotteries, the jackpot is advertised as a nominal value of annual installments. A lump sum (cash value) option, when chosen by a jackpot winner (see below), pays the approximate present value of the installments.
Mega Millions is drawn every Tuesday and Friday, including all holidays.
History
Tickets went on sale in Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan and Virginia on August 31 , 1996 , for the new lottery then known as The Big Game . Drawings were held weekly on Fridays until its first Tuesday drawing was added on February 10 , 1998 . Beginning in January 1999, jackpot winners had the choice to claim the prize in cash. In May 1999, New Jersey joined The Big Game, the only jurisdiction to do so before the change to Mega Millions. New York and Ohio joined The Big Game on May 15 , 2002 . This was when the game was changed to its second name, The Big Game Mega Millions , temporarily retaining the old name, and its "gold ball" logo. Also, the "Big Money Ball" changed its name to the "Mega Ball." After the game's name was altered, the yellow ball in the logo of the Mega Millions read "The Big Game." The first (The Big Game) Mega Millions drawing was held on May 17, 2002. Three more states later joined: Washington (September 2002), Texas (2003), and California (2005).
On March 6, 2007, two winners split a record jackpot worth $233 million before taxes. The advertised jackpot totaled $390 million, representing a nominal sum of 26 annual installments before taxes and unadjusted for inflation or interest.
Playing the game
Since June 2005, a player picks, or allows the Mega Millions computer to pick, five different numbers from 1 to 56 (white balls) and one number from 1 to 46 (the Mega Ball number, a gold-colored ball). The Mega Ball number is drawn from a separate machine, so it can be a duplicate of one of the white ball numbers. Each play (a selection of six numbers for one draw) costs $1. In Georgia, New Jersey, New York, and Texas, players must also choose, in advance, whether they wish to collect a jackpot in lump sum or annuity. Georgia and New Jersey winners can change an annuity ticket to cash; however, the choice is binding in New York and Texas. Tickets may be obtained from either retail locations, or by mail in select states (currently, only Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York and Virginia offer subscriptions by mail).
Previous incarnations of The Big Game and Mega Millions have had different matrices:
Texas Megaplier
Mega Millions players within Texas also have the option to activate a multiplier, should they win a non-jackpot prize; for $2, a selection of five white numbers and a Mega Ball can win a double, triple, or quadruple prize (up to $1 million cash) with the Megaplier . This is in contrast to the game-wide option in Powerball's PowerPlay . Unlike the actual Mega Millions game, the Megaplier is drawn using a random number generator (RNG).
With the expected expansion of Mega Millions into Powerball jurisdictions, some MUSL members have shown interest in adding the Megaplier.
Kicker (Ohio)
Mega Millions players in Ohio can play an add-on game, called Kicker , for an extra $1. Six digits (0-9) are printed on every Ohio Mega Millions ticket below the Mega Millions numbers, whether or not Kicker is played. A Kicker ticket matching all six digits in exact order wins $100,000; there are smaller prizes also available.
Rules and taxes
Tickets can be purchased until 15 minutes prior to the drawing (usually 11:00 PM Eastern time), accounting for local time zone differences.
Laws and regulations vary slightly and are governed by the applicable laws in the state where the ticket is sold, and the winner's home state (e.g. if a New Jersey resident buys a winning ticket near their workplace in Manhattan.) Mega Millions winnings are generally exempt from state income tax in California; Texas and Washington have no state income tax. On the other hand, residents of New York City and Yonkers, New York pay city tax in addition to state and federal taxes.
Winning and odds
As of 2009, a player wins a prize according to the following chart:
In California, the amounts for all prizes are paid on a parimutuel basis, rather than the fixed lower-tier amounts for winners in the other 11 Mega Millions lotteries.
Currently, Mega Millions (1:~176 million) has better jackpot odds than Powerball (1:~195 million).
The Mega Ball number cannot cross over to be used for matching a white ball number, or vice versa.
To put these odds in perspective, in the US in 2008 there were 1.03 deaths per 100 million vehicle miles traveled. A person living one mile from a retailer selling Mega Million Lottery tickets is 3.6 times as likely to die in an accident traveling to and from that store (2 miles) than winning the Mega Millions jackpot on a $1 play. Jackpot wining odds = 1 in 176 million; death odds = 2 miles * 1.03 deaths/100 million miles); 1 jackpot = 2 * 1.03 * 176 million / 100 million = 3.63 deaths.
Machines used
Like most games that use power or bonus balls, two machines are used. The model used is the Criterion II, manufactured by Smartplay International of Edgewater Park, New Jersey. The balls are moved around by means of counter-rotating arms which mix the balls in a random fashion. One by one, the winning numbers drop through a hole in the bottom of the mixing drum. To show the difference between which numbers are which, the balls in the first machine are white; the Mega Balls are gold.
The draw
Drawings are usually held at WSB-TV in Atlanta at 11:00 PM Eastern time on Tuesdays and Fridays. Formerly, the host was WSB's chief meteorologist, Glenn Burns. Now, most drawings are hosted by the new full-time host of the Georgia Lottery drawings, John Crow, with Courtney Cason subbing on occasion. For larger jackpots in excess of $200 million, the drawing is sometimes moved to Times Square in New York City, with New York Lottery announcer Yolanda Vega hosting the draw.
On June 24, 2005, to commemorate California joining Mega Millions, the drawing was held in Hollywood, with Carrie Underwood assisting Glenn Burns for the draw.
Record jackpots
Participating states
The following states participate in the Mega Millions lottery game:
- Arkansas ( effective January 31, 2010 )
- California (2005)
- Georgia (1996); had offered Powerball but was forced out of MUSL shortly after The Big Game began
- Illinois (1996); The Big Game drawings were initially to be conducted in Chicago)
- Maryland (1996)
- Massachusetts (1996)
- Michigan (1996)
- Minnesota ( future )
- Missouri ( January 31, 2010 )
- New Mexico ( future )
- New Jersey (1999); only member to join in The Big Game era
- New York (2002)
- North Carolina ( January 31, 2010 )
- Ohio (2002); note: NY and OH joined simultaneously when "Mega Millions" was added to the game's name
- Pennsylvania ( future )
- South Carolina ( January 31, 2010 )
- Tennessee ( future )
- Texas (2003); see Megaplier above
- Virginia (1996)
- Washington (2002)
All 12 members have sold a jackpot-winning ticket; however, Massachusetts has yet to produce a winner since before The Big Game became Mega Millions.
California is currently the newest Mega Millions member, pending the expected addition of Powerball/MUSL members beginning in January 2010.
The Georgia Lottery had offered Powerball but was removed from MUSL soon after The Big Game began. It planned to sell tickets for both games for the remainder of that year; however, within a few days, Georgia was forcibly removed from MUSL, and has not returned. In October 2009, a new agreement was reached between Mega Millions and MUSL, allowing all US lotteries, including Georgia's, to offer both games.
New Jersey, as well as some other lotteries, in early 2009, announced it would seek permission to sell Powerball tickets alongside Mega Millions. In October 2009, an agreement between Mega Millions and MUSL
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