How Mega Millions Works: Complete Guide

What is Mega Millions?

Mega Millions is one of the two largest multi-state lottery games in the United States, available in 45 states, Washington D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The game has been running since 1996 (originally as "The Big Game") and has produced some of the largest lottery jackpots in history, including the $1.602 billion prize won in Florida in August 2023. In April 2025, Mega Millions underwent its most significant overhaul in years, introducing a new price point, improved odds, and an automatic multiplier on every ticket.

How to Play (Since April 2025)

Each Mega Millions ticket costs $5, up from the previous price of $2. Players select 5 white ball numbers from a pool of 1 to 70, plus 1 gold Mega Ball from a separate pool of 1 to 24 (reduced from 1-25 in the pre-April 2025 format). As with other lottery games, players can choose their own numbers or opt for a Quick Pick, where the terminal randomly generates a selection.

Tickets are available at authorized retailers in all participating states. Some states also offer online purchases through official lottery websites and mobile apps. Players must meet their state's minimum age requirement — 18 in most jurisdictions, though some states require players to be 21.

Drawing Schedule

Mega Millions drawings are held twice a week, on Tuesday and Friday, at 11:00 PM Eastern Time. The drawings are conducted at WSB-TV studios in Atlanta, Georgia. Results are typically available on official lottery websites within minutes of the drawing, and our site updates automatically with fresh data as soon as it is published.

The April 2025 Overhaul: What Changed

The April 2025 update brought several major changes to Mega Millions:

Ticket price: Increased from $2 to $5 per play
Mega Ball pool: Reduced from 1-25 to 1-24, slightly improving jackpot odds
Jackpot odds: Improved from 1 in 302,575,350 to 1 in 290,472,336
Automatic multiplier: Every ticket now includes a 2x-10x multiplier at no extra cost
Megaplier retired: The old $1 Megaplier add-on is no longer available
Starting jackpot: Increased from $20 million to $50 million
Higher non-jackpot prizes: Many prize tiers were increased to reflect the new price point

Prize Tiers

Mega Millions features 9 prize tiers, from $2 up to the jackpot. The second-tier prize for matching all 5 white balls (without the Mega Ball) is $1 million. With the automatic multiplier, this prize can be boosted to $2 million, $3 million, $4 million, $5 million, or even $10 million without any additional cost. Lower-tier prizes are similarly multiplied, making even small wins more rewarding under the new format.

Automatic Multiplier

The old $1 Megaplier add-on has been retired and replaced with an automatic multiplier that is included with every $5 ticket purchase. Before each drawing, a random multiplier of 2x, 3x, 4x, 5x, or 10x is selected. This multiplier applies to all non-jackpot prizes won on that ticket. The 10x multiplier was previously only available through the Megaplier option and only when the jackpot was under a certain threshold — now it is available on every drawing regardless of jackpot size.

Jackpot Payment Options

Like Powerball, Mega Millions jackpot winners choose between an annuity and a lump sum. The annuity pays the full advertised jackpot over 30 annual payments, each 5% larger than the last. The lump sum cash value is typically 50-60% of the advertised amount. Both options are subject to federal income tax (currently 37% on the highest bracket) and any applicable state taxes. Some states, including California, Florida, and Texas, do not tax lottery winnings at the state level.

Odds and Expected Value

The overall odds of winning any Mega Millions prize are approximately 1 in 24. The jackpot odds of 1 in 290,472,336 are now slightly better than Powerball's 1 in 292,201,338, making Mega Millions the marginally easier game to win at the top level. However, at $5 per ticket versus $2, the cost per chance is significantly higher. Players should weigh these factors and treat lottery play as a form of entertainment rather than a financial strategy.