The Mega Millions jackpot has crossed the $1 billion mark for the third time in lottery history. This illustration shows a Mega Millions lottery ticket in Washington, DC, on Tuesday.
Olivier Douliery / AFP via Getty Images
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Olivier Douliery / AFP via Getty Images
The Mega Millions jackpot has crossed the $1 billion mark for the third time in lottery history. This illustration shows a Mega Millions lottery ticket in Washington, DC, on Tuesday.
Olivier Douliery / AFP via Getty Images
Mega Millions jackpot hits over $1 billion for the third time in lottery history. No one had a ticket that matched all six numbers drawn on Tuesday night.
At $1.025 billion, this jackpot is the third largest in Mega Millions history. The next drawing is Friday at 11 p.m. ET, but before that, here are a few things you might want to know if you decide to play.
Can I play if I’m not a US citizen?
Yes, players do not need to be residents of the United States to win.
Can I buy tickets online?
You can buy tickets online in Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan, New Hampshire, North Carolina, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, Virginia and the District of Columbia, but you must register with the local lottery. Alternatively, if you live in New York, a Mega Millions subscription is available.
As for other online ticket purchases, you may want to exercise caution and do your best to make sure you’re not buying a scam.
What if I am in a state without Mega Millions?
Alabama, Alaska, Hawaii, Nevada, and Utah don’t have Mega Millions, but that doesn’t mean you can’t play if you live there. If you buy the ticket elsewhere and win, you will only have to redeem the ticket in the same state, so you will have to go there.
How do you play?
Tickets are $2 per play. For each ticket, you choose six numbers. The first five numbers range from 1 to 70 – these are your white ball numbers. The last number you choose is between 1 and 25 and will be your choice for the Golden Mega Ball. Not sure about what you choose? There are “Easy Pick” or “Quick Pick” options that randomly generate numbers when you buy your ticket. Mega Millions also has a random number generator on its website if you want to draw numbers before you buy a ticket.
To win the jackpot, all your six numbers need to match what was drawn. But there are other prize levels that depend on a lesser number of matches.
What is my win rate?
At 1 in 302.5 million, your odds of winning are not great. Your odds are slightly better on other prizes, but in the end, playing the lottery is still a gamble.
What is the difference between cash payment and annual payment?
Mega Millions jackpot winnings can be paid in one of two ways. You can choose to receive a sum as soon as you win, but it’s not much. For this jackpot, the total is $1.025 billion, but if you want your winnings to be instant, you’ll get $602.5 million in cash.
The other option is an annual payment. With this, you will receive a payout immediately after winning and then annual payouts for the next 29 years. Those payouts increase 5% each in what Mega Millions says is meant to help “protect winners’ lifestyles and purchasing power in times of inflation.”
What is the biggest jackpot ever?
The largest jackpot ever won in Mega Millions history totaled $1.537 billion in October 2018. That winning ticket was purchased in South Carolina.
