The Game

The US Mega Millions lottery game is a multi-jurisdictional lottery game that can be played in any of 44 states, as well as The District of Colombia and the US Virgin Islands.

The minimum jackpot for this game is $15 million. When there is no top prize winner the jackpot increases for the following draw.

During the game five numbers are picked from 75 white balls in the first part of the draw. Then one number is picked from 15 in the second part, the “Mega Ball” draw.

Players must match 5 numbers from the 1^st part of the draw, and the Mega Ball to win the jackpot, with odds of 258,890,850 to 1. Players can win $1 just for matching the Mega Ball, with odds of 22 to 1.

It costs just $1 to enter the Mega Millions draw. In all but one of the 46 jurisdictions where players can enter the game, a Megaplier option is available for $2, whereby all prizes (except the jackpot), can be multiplied by 2, 3, 4, or 5 times.

Megaplier is not available in California.

Interesting Facts

In January 2011, a woman called Elecia Battle claimed that she had lost the winning ticket in the December 30^th 2003 Mega Millions draw. She filed a lawsuit against the woman who had officially claimed the winnings, Rebecca Jemison. A few days later she was presented with contradictory evidence and was forced to admit that she had lied.

Battle was subsequently charged with filing a false police report and fined $1,000 and ordered to undertake 50 hours community service!