Mega Millions – home of the record jackpot
| Draw Day | Draw Time | Minimum Jackpot | Record Jackpot | Jackpot Odds | Prize Divisions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wednesday & Saturday | 11pm ET (3pm NZST) | US$20 million (approx. $34 million) | US$656 million (2012) | 1 : 302,575,350 | 9 |
Mega Millions is one of America’s multi-state lotteries that regularly produces giant-sized jackpots.
Like many other lotto games, Mega Millions has undergone changes both to the brand and the format over the years. Previously known as the The Big Game and then the Big Game Mega Millions, it finally changed to its current name Mega Millions in 2002.
The minimum jackpot is $20 million USD, and each time it is won is paid in 30 yearly instalments, increasing by 5% each year.
Mega Millions is most renowned for the largest jackpot win ever, a staggering $656 million USD was claimed on 30 March 2012 by three ticket-holders; from the states of Illinois, Kansas and Maryland. And if that’s not enough at Lottoland you could have won over a billion dollars thanks to the exclusive DoubleJackpot feature.
The biggest single winner of Mega Millions came on the 25 March 2011 drawing, where $319 million USD was claimed.
Can I Participate in the Mega Millions?
Only residents in the USA are permitted to play the official Mega Millions lottery. At Lottoland you can still bet on the outcome of the draw, and rest assured if you predict the winning numbers then you will be paid out as if you played the game officially.What is the Format of the Mega Millions Lottery?
Mega Millions changed its draw format in October 2017 and is now 5 from 70 white numbered balls, and 1 “Gold Ball” from a range of 1 – 25. There is one further ball drawn from a range of 1 to 5 and this is known as the Megaplier. The Megaplier is an extra feature that if bought will multiply your winnings by the number drawn out, and is applicable to all the prize tiers except the jackpot.What are my Potential Mega Millions Winnings?
The Mega Millions jackpot has no limits either for the size of the pot or the number of times it can rollover. The change in format of the Mega Millions game means it is even more difficult to land the jackpot as there is a 1 in 302,575,350 chance of claiming it. The previous version had odds of 1: 258,890,850 of winning the main prize.The second prize tier of $1 million is awarded for matching 5 main numbers, and if the Megaplier drawn is number 5, then you will receive $5 million if you added this feature.
What are the Mega Millions Prize Tiers?
The Mega Millions is a 5 from 70 and 1 from 25 lottery. The more numbers you match with those drawn, the higher the prize category that you qualify for.
You can win the jackpot, Prize Category 1, by matching all of the draw numbers i.e. 5 of the balls drawn from 70 plus the Megaball out of 25.
The total lottery prize money is divided into 9 tiers.
| Prize tier | Average individual prize (USD) |
|---|---|
| 1 (5 main numbers+ Megaball) | $49,530,000.00* |
| 2 (5 main numbers) | $1,000,000.00 |
| 3 (4 main numbers + Megaball) | $10,000.00 |
| 4 (4 main numbers) | $500.00 |
| 5 (3 main numbers+ Megaball) | $200.00 |
| 6 (3 main numbers) | $10.00 |
| 7 (2 main numbers + Megaball) | $10.00 |
| 8 (1 main number + Megaball) | $4.00 |
| 9 (Megaball) | $2.00 |
* Average jackpot since 6 September 1996
How Much Does MegaMillions Cost to Play?
| Jackpot amount (NZD) | Price |
|---|---|
| Less than $500m | $5.00 |
| $500m - $1bn | from $10 |
| $1bn and over | from $15.00 |
How do I Fill Out a MegaMillions Ticket?
The MegaMillions Ticket has 6 fields available for you to fill in. A single line requires 5 main numbers picked from a range 1 – 70, and 1 MegaBall out of 25. Each field tells you how many more numbers are required to complete a single line. At Lottoland if you decide to select more than 5 main numbers, then your selections will automatically be combined to enter all the possible different lines in the draw, and this is known as a Combo bet.This is a convenient way of betting, for the serious lotto player or those who bet as a syndicate and want to give each player a number to choose from. You can also choose to add a feature called MegaPlier that boosts your winnings in all prize categories except the jackpot.
What is the MegaPlier?
The MegaPlier is a bonus feature that boosts your winnings in all prize tiers except the jackpot. The MegaPlier is drawn from 5 numbers and depending on which number will determine how much your prize is multiplied by. For example if you won prize category 2 of $1 million and the MegaPlier was number 5, you would end up with $5 million.When are the Mega Millions Winning Numbers Drawn?
Mega Millions takes place at 11pm ET on Tuesdays and Fridays in the USA and because of the time difference this equates to Wednesday and Saturday afternoons (15:00 NZST).How do I Get my MegaMillions Winnings?
When you play MegaMillions online at Lottoland, you don’t have to worry about claiming your prize or where your money goes. You will be notified by email of any winnings, and the money will be returned to your Player Account so you can choose to play on for that dream win, or withdraw to your bank account.What Are the Differences Between the Mega Millions and Powerball Lotteries?
| US Powerball | MegaMillions | |
|---|---|---|
| 5-from-69 and 1-from-26 Powerball | Game rules | 5-from-70 and 1-from-25 Megaball |
| From $5.00 | Price per line | From $5.00 |
| $20m USD (about $34m NZD) | Minimum jackpot | $20m USD (about $34m NZD) |
| $1.6bn. USD (about $2.7bn NZD) | Previous record jackpot | $656m USD (about $1.12bn NZD) |
| DoublePot from $5.00 | Jackpot upgrade | DoublePot from $5.00 |
| PowerPlay for $1.50 | Upgrade prize tiers 2 through 9 | MegaPlier for $1.50 |
| 1:25 | Probability of winning | 1:24 |
| Thursdays & Sundays at 16:00 (NZST) | Draw | Wednesdays & Saturdays at 16:00 (NZST) |
| 30 years of cash instalment payments that increase annually | Jackpot payout | 30 years of cash instalment payments that increase annually |
Is the Payout Guaranteed? How do I Know?
At Lottoland we can guarantee you will be paid out on your winnings - regardless of the jackpot amount.At Lottoland you bet on the outcome of the official draw. For all intents and purposes you will have the exact same customer experience as if you were playing the official lottery. The key difference is that we take your bet and we pay you if you win. We are able to achieve this in two ways.
For smaller prize tier payments we make the payment directly from the fund we have from the total ticket sales.
In order for us to make the larger prize tier payments we take out insurance policies to cover the eventuality of a Jackpot win or a substantial payout on the Lotto ticket. Part of the Lotto ticket price you pay goes towards the payment of this policy.
We are registered with and regulated by the UK Gambling Commission, the Gibraltar Gambling Commission, and the Revenue Commissioners in Ireland. In order for us to retain these licences we have to prove that we are able to make the required payouts to our players should they win and that we have the correct procedures in place to guarantee this.
