Mega Millions lotto is played twice a week on Tuesday and Friday. 5 main balls are drawn from a drum of balls numbered from 1 to 70. 1 bonus ball (Mega Ball) is drawn from another set of balls numbered from 1 to 25. To win the Mega Millions lottery Jackpot, you need to match all 5 main balls and the Mega Ball drawn.
History of Mega Millions
Originally called The Big Game when it was launched in 1996, the game was rebranded as Mega Millions in 2002.
Despite being a multi-state lottery, the Mega Millions trademark is exclusively owned by Illinois Lottery.
Mega Millions Prizes and Odds
| MATCH | PRIZE | ODDS |
|---|---|---|
| 5 + Mega Ball | Jackpot | 1 in 302,575,350 |
| 5 | $1,000,000 | 1 in 12,607,306 |
| 4 + Mega Ball | $10,000 | 1 in 931,001 |
| 4 | $500 | 1 in 38,792 |
| 3 + Mega Ball | $200 | 1 in 14,547 |
| 3 | $10 | 1 in 606 |
| 2 + Mega Ball | $10 | 1 in 693 |
| 1 + Mega Ball | $4 | 1 in 89 |
| 0 + Mega Ball | $2 | 1 in 37 |
Mega Millions Megaplier Multiplier Prizes
| MATCH | ORIGINAL PRIZE | 2X | 3X | 4X | 5X |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 + Mega Ball | Jackpot | ||||
| 5 | $1,000,000 | $2,000,000 | $3,000,000 | $2,000,000 | $5,000,000 |
| 4 + Mega Ball | $10,000 | $20,000 | $30,000 | $40,000 | $50,000 |
| 4 | $500 | $1,000 | $1,400 | $2,000 | $2,500 |
| 3 + Mega Ball | $200 | $400 | $600 | $800 | $1,000 |
| 3 | $10 | $20 | $30 | $40 | $50 |
| 2 + Mega Ball | $10 | $20 | $30 | $40 | $50 |
| 1 + Mega Ball | $4 | $8 | $12 | $16 | $20 |
| 0 + Mega Ball | $2 | $4 | $6 | $8 | $10 |
Mega Millions Megaplier Multiplier Odds
| Megaplier Multiplier | 2X | 3X | 4X | 5X |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Odds | 1 in 3 | 1 in 2.5 | 1 in 5 | 1 in 15 |
Mega Millions Schedule
| TUESDAY | FRIDAY | |
|---|---|---|
| Draw Time | 11:00 p.m. ET | 11:00 p.m. ET |
| Sales Stop | Varies according to jurisdiction | Varies according to jurisdiction |
10 Biggest Mega Millions Winners and Jackpots
| RANK | NAME | JACKPOT | NUMBERS | WHEN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Unknown (South Carolina) | $1.537 Billion | 5-28-62-65-70-(5) | Oct 23, 2018 |
| 2nd | Unknown (Michigan) | $1.05 Billion | 4-26-42-50-60-(24) | Jan 22, 2021 |
| 3rd | Unknown (Illinois, Kansas, and Maryland) | $656 Million | 2-4-23-38-46-(23) | Mar 30, 2012 |
| 4th | – Steve Tran (California) – Ira Curry (Georgia) | $648 Million | 8-14-17-20-39-(7) | Dec 17, 2013 |
| 5th | Roland Reyes (claimed on behalf of 11 co-workers in California) | $543 Million | 1-2-4-19-29-(20) | Jul 24, 2018 |
| 6th | Unknown (Indiana) | $536 Million | 8-19-20-55-73-(5) | Jul 08, 2016 |
| 7th | Richard Wahl (New Jersey) | $533 Million | 11-28-31-46-59-(1) | Mar 30, 2018 |
| 8th | Laarni Bibal (California) | $522 Million | 17-19-27-40-68-(2) | Jun 07, 2019 |
| 9th | Shane Missler (Florida) | $451 Million | 28-30-39-59-70-(10) | Jan 05, 2018 |
| 10th | 23 Co-Workers (New York) | $437 Million | 34-44-57-62-70-(14) | Jan 01, 2019 |
Winning Odds
The odds of winning the USA Mega Millions jackpot are 1 in 302,575,350.
