Current:Home > MyThe Mega Millions jackpot is $800 million. In what states can the winner remain anonymous. -StockSource
The Mega Millions jackpot is $800 million. In what states can the winner remain anonymous.
View
Date:2025-04-19 01:12:46
The Mega Millions jackpot soared to a colossal $800 million on Tuesday, enticing players to get in on the action.
Laws in some states allow for national lottery winners to collect the prize anonymously. If the third Mega Millions winner of the year is in one of those states come Tuesday, we may never know who they are.
Tuesday's jackpot clears all prize-size requirements in states that have them. Arkansas is the only state that grants anonymity for winners on a temporary basis, with the identities of winners in the state shielded for three years.
The last winner was in June, when someone in Illinois took advantage of the state's anonymity laws to claim the $552 million prize.
Here are the places where winners can anonymously claim lottery prizes, and the requirements for them.
Feeling Lucky? Explore the Latest Lottery News & Results
Where Mega Millions winners can claim anonymously
- Arizona: Prize must be over $100,000
- Arkansas: Prize must be over $500,000 and a winner is only anonymous for three years
- Delaware: Any prize
- Georgia: Prize must be over $250,000
- Illinois: Prize must be over $250,000
- Kansas: Any prize
- Maryland: Any prize
- Michigan: Prize must be over $10,000 in state-run games only
- Minnesota: Prize must be over $10,000
- Mississippi: Any prize
- Missouri: Any prize
- Montana: Any prize
- New Jersey: Any prize
- North Dakota: Any prize
- South Carolina: Any prize
- Texas: Prize must be over $1 million
- Virginia: Prize must be greater than $10 million
- West Virginia: Prize must be over $1 million
- Wyoming: Any prize
What is the largest Mega Millions jackpot ever?
If the right six numbers are pulled Tuesday night, the jackpot as it stands would not crack the top five largest prizes of all time. The top five are:
- $1.602 billion from one winning ticket in Florida in August 2023
- $1.537 billion from one winning ticket in October 2018 in South Carolina
- $1.35 billion from one winning ticket in January 2023 in Maine
- $1.34 billion from one winning ticket in July 2022 in Illinois
- $1.12 billion from one winning ticket in March 2024 in New Jersey
What are the odds of winning the Mega Millions jackpot?
The odds of winning the Mega Millions jackpot are long. Players have a one in 302,575,350 shot at winning the grand prize, a one in 12,607,306 shot at winning the $1 million prize and a one in 24 chance of winning any prize.
How to play Mega Millions
Tickets to Mega Millions cost $2 per play.
There are nine total ways to win a prize, from the jackpot to $2.
To play, pick five numbers from 1 to 70 and one Mega Ball number from 1 to 25. You can choose Easy Pick or Quick Pick to have the terminal randomly pick numbers for you. You win the jackpot by matching all six winning numbers in the drawing.
What is the Megaplier?
Most states offer the Megaplier feature, which increases non-jackpot prizes by two, three, four and five times.
It costs an additional $1 per play. Before each regular Mega Millions drawing, the Megaplier is drawn. From a pool of 15 balls, five are marked with "2X," three with "4X" and one with "5X."
Where can you buy lottery tickets?
Tickets can be purchased in person at gas stations, convenience stores and grocery stores. Some airport terminals may also sell lottery tickets.
You can also order tickets online through Jackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network, in these U.S. states and territories: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Texas, Washington, D.C., and West Virginia. The Jackpocket app allows you to pick your lottery game and numbers, place your order, see your ticket and collect your winnings all using your phone or home computer.
Jackpocket is the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network. Gannett may earn revenue for audience referrals to Jackpocket services. Must be 18+, 21+ in AZ and 19+ in NE. Not affiliated with any State Lottery. Gambling Problem? Call 1-877-8-HOPE-NY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY); 1-800-327-5050 (MA); 1-877-MYLIMIT (OR); 1-800-GAMBLER (all others). Visit jackpocket.com/tos for full terms and conditions.
veryGood! (984)
Related
- Travis Hunter, the 2
- Kristaps Porzingis' instant impact off bench in NBA Finals Game 1 exactly what Celtics needed
- USA's cricket team beats Pakistan in stunning upset at T20 World Cup
- National Doughnut (or Donut) Day: Which spelling is right? Dictionaries have an answer.
- Could your smelly farts help science?
- 'Perfect Match' is back: Why the all-star cast had hesitations about Harry Jowsey
- These Ghostbusters Secrets Are Definitely Worth Another 5 a Year
- Seven charged in smuggling migrants in sweltering secret compartment with little water
- Louvre will undergo expansion and restoration project, Macron says
- Teen Mom's Kailyn Lowry Shares Rare Photo With Ex Jo Rivera for Son Isaac's Graduation
Ranking
- Trump suggestion that Egypt, Jordan absorb Palestinians from Gaza draws rejections, confusion
- How this Maryland pastor ended up leading one of the fastest-growing churches in the nation
- United States men's national soccer team friendly vs. Colombia: How to watch, rosters
- The Brat Pack met the Rat Pack when Andrew McCarthy, Rob Lowe partied with Sammy Davis Jr.
- Federal court filings allege official committed perjury in lawsuit tied to Louisiana grain terminal
- Kristaps Porzingis' instant impact off bench in NBA Finals Game 1 exactly what Celtics needed
- Soda company recalls drinks sold at restaurants for chemicals, dye linked to cancer: FDA
- Matthew McConaughey’s Wife Camila Alves and Daughter Vida Have Stellar Twinning Moment
Recommendation
A Mississippi company is sentenced for mislabeling cheap seafood as premium local fish
Lana Del Rey Shares Conversation She's Had With Taylor Swift So Many Times
Florida woman charged with leaving her boyfriend to die in a suitcase faces October trial
France's intel agency detains Ukrainian-Russian man suspected of planning violent act after he injured himself in explosion
Rams vs. 49ers highlights: LA wins rainy defensive struggle in key divisional game
Sale and use of marijuana permitted under ordinance Cherokees in North Carolina approved
How Pat Sajak Exited Wheel of Fortune After More Than 40 Years
Missing 21-year-old woman possibly with man and his missing 2-year-old daughter