Mega Millions
Current Jackpot $ 34,000,000
Mega Millions Overview 
MegaMillions is one of the two largest Multi-State lottery games that takes place in the U.S.A., the other one and its main rival being Powerball. This USA lottery began in 1996 but was then known as The Big Game. It wasn’t until 2002 that its name was changed to Mega Millions. This lottery is Amercia’s biggest Jackpot game and has the honour of offering the largest Jackpot in North America at $390 Million. There are now 42 separate US Lottery companies that combine to take part in this huge USA Lottery. Draws for the Mega Millions take place every Tuesday and Friday from Atlanta, Georgia at 11pm EST with the occasional draw taking place in Times Square, New York City when the Jackpot exceeds $200 Million.
Mega Millions Cross-Over Sales...
On January 31st 2010 Mega Millions and its biggest rival – Powerball from the Multi State Lottery Association (MUSL) – began offering each others lotteries in many US States under an historic cross-selling agreement. This increased the number of USA State Lotteries offering Mega Millions from 12 to 35 in January 2010 with 6 more Powerball States joining between March and May 2010. This means that you are now able to play Mega Millions right across America in a total of 41 different US States & districts as well as from overseas when you play MegaMillions online. Similarly – at the same time on January 31st 2010 – the Powerball game began to be offered in Mega Millions jurisdictions – raising the total number of USA State Lotteries to be offering Powerball from 33 to 43 in January with the Ohio Lottery joining in April 2010. This means that you are now able to play Powerball in a total of 44 different US States & districts as well as overseas when you play Powerball online.
How It Works… 
Mega Millions players need to select 5 different main numbers from white balls drawn, numbered 1 to 56 and also 1 number (the Mega Ball) from gold balls drawn numbered 1 to 46. The other option players have is to select Easy Pick whereby the numbers are automatically generated for you similar to the Lucky Dip option in the UK National Lottery or Euromillions in Europe. Each entry costs $1.00 to make a selection of these 6 numbers. Players can either pick their Mega Millions lottery numbers themselves or they can choose to have the MegaMillions computer pick the numbers automatically for them.
The lottery numbers are drawn from two separate drawing machines like most lotteries that use a powerball or bonus ball - the main white balls from one drum and then the gold Mega Ball from the other drum.
Only In Texas…
Similar to Powerball’s Powerplay, there is an additional feature that can be activated when playing Mega Millions for an extra $1.00 per entry – but it is not game-wide and is only available in Texas at the moment. This optional add-on is called the Texas Megaplier and players have the choice to activate this should they win a prize other than the jackpot itself. It is used to multiple any non-jackpot prize that you may win and can increase the amount won considerably. Players can multiply their non-jackpot prizes by 2x, 3x or 4x using the Megaplier meaning up to an extra $1 million in cash.
Random Number Generator
Whilst the 5 main numbers and the Mega Ball are drawn in the traditional way with the balls moving round in two rotating drums, the Texas MegaPlier number is drawn using a Random Number Generator (RNG).
Who Can Play? 
Historically, only resident citizens of any of the member states were allowed to play in the Mega Millions lottery. Nowadays, however, you are able to choose your Mega Millions lottery numbers and buy lottery tickets from genuine and fully authorized online lottery ticket sales agents such as TheLotter or the LotteryShop.com no matter where in the world you may be living. Great news for all those who live outside the U.S.A. and would like to take part in another of the world’s largest jackpot lotteries and guarantee their entry into the next big draw or just want to be able to easily and conveniently buy lottery tickets online. You are also able to check the MegaMillions Results online to see if you have become one of the lucky lottery winners. The minimum age for a player to eligible to purchase a MegaMillions ticket is 18 years across all participating states but in all states apart from Virginia persons younger than this are able to win on tickets that they receive as a gift. Click here to Play the Mega-Millions lottery Now
Participating States…
The following is a list of the U.S. States that take part in the MegaMillions lottery along with the dates that they joined. There are currently 41 participating state members plus the District of Columbia…
Information & Background 
This multi-state lottery started off with the name The Big Game. Initially there were 6 States participating in this lottery when tickets first went on sale back on August 31st 1996 – they were Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan and Virginia. The very first draw took place 6 days later on September 6th and every week thereafter on Fridays until the first Tuesday draw began on February 10th 1998. In January 1999 the cash option was introduced whereby jackpot winners now had the choice to claim their winnings in cash. New Jersey joined The Big Game in May 1999 and would be the only state newcomer prior to the name change to Mega Millions. May 2002 saw the name change to the current Mega Millions with jackpots commencing at $12 Million which then increased by wasy of a Jackpot Rollover when there was no jackpot winner, a practice that is now common among many lotteries worldwide. Also in May 2002, New York and Ohio joined the multi-state lottery and the first drawing under the new image and name took place on May 17th 2002. There have been 3 more additional states that have joined forces since, with Washington in September 2002, Texas in 2003 and the most recent is California who joined in 2005. The matrix has changed slightly from time to time over the years from 5/50 (1/25) to 5/50 (1/36) to 5/52 (1/52) as is now 5/56 (1/46).
What Are The Odds?
The odds of winning the jackpot in Mega Millions are 1 in 175.71 million and are currently better than those in Powerball which stand at 1 in 195.24 million. This jumps down to 1 in 3.9 million for a prize on the second tier and so on. The overall odds of winning any prize are just 1 in 40.
Record Jackpots… 
North America’s largest ever jackpot was provided by Mega Millions and won in March 2007 with 2 lottery winners splitting an advertised jackpot of $390 Million – this still stands as the biggest jackpot prize won in the U.S.A. More than 200 million tickets were sold (at $1 per ticket) for this record $390 million jackpot. There have been 3 other jackpots awarded by MegaMillions that have been greater than $300 million. November 2005 saw the largest single ticket jackpot win take place. A whopping $315 Million advertised jackpot was won from a single ticket in Anaheim, California. In May 2000, 2 separate Mega Millions ticket holders won an advertised jackpot of $363 Million making this the largest prize to date prior to The Big Game’s name change to Mega Millions.
How Are Jackpots Paid? 
Mega Millions Jackpot prizes are paid in either of 1 or 2 ways – as a cash lump sum or as an annuity payment which is paid each year in 26 annual instalments. The value of the cash lump sum paid against the annuity instalment amount varies but is approximately 60%. There are a number of differences here among the various member states as to how and when lottery winners need to choose how they wish to receive their jackpot or lower tier prize. In New York, for example, Mega Millions players need to choose whether they wish to receive their jackpot prize as a lump sum or an annuity at the time they purchase their lottery tickets. As in New York, players in Texas (the only state with the MegaPlier) are required to make their choice of either an annuity or lump sum payment at the time of ticket purchase as opposed to after the actual win. With New Jersey and Georgia, things change slightly – MegaMillions players are again required to make their choice of either lump sum or annuity at the time of purchase however – they are able, if they wish, to change an annuity ticket to a cash lump sum when claiming - a cash ticket though, cannot be changed for the annuity option. Don't forget...if you buy lottery tickets from one of the authorized and accredited lottery ticket sales companies such as TheLotter or the LotteryShop.com you will not have to be concerned about any of these details as the comapny will take care of everything for you when you play lottery online. There are also some state differences regarding the amount of time lottery winners have to claim their prizes by. Generally this is either 1 year or 180 days. Mega Million winners have 1 year to collect their jackpot prize or lower tier prize apart from in California where the time limit is 180 days. In the states where players can choose either cash or an annuity after the actual draw (all those except New York and Texas), a jackpot winner needs to make their choice within 60 days from the draw or in some cases within 60 days from making their claim. Click here for The Latest Mega-Millions Results Click here for Past Mega-Millions Results
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USA MegaMillions "Easy Pick" 
