Current:Home > NewsThe Mega Millions jackpot is $800 million. In what states can the winner remain anonymous. -MoneyBase
The Mega Millions jackpot is $800 million. In what states can the winner remain anonymous.
View
Date:2025-04-16 02:14:53
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! (32)
Related
- Will the 'Yellowstone' finale be the last episode? What we know about Season 6, spinoffs
- 1000-Lb. Sisters' Amy Slaton is Serving Body in Video of Strapless Dress
- Man fatally shoots girlfriend and her adult daughters during a domestic incident, deputies say
- 63,000 Jool Baby Nova Swings recalled over possible suffocation risk
- Justice Department, Louisville reach deal after probe prompted by Breonna Taylor killing
- Judge cuts bond by nearly $1.9 million for man accused of car crash that injured Sen. Manchin’s wife
- Robert Hur defends special counsel report at tense House hearing on Biden documents probe
- Wisconsin Republicans fire eight more Evers appointees, including regents and judicial watchdogs
- Whoopi Goldberg is delightfully vile as Miss Hannigan in ‘Annie’ stage return
- Darryl Strawberry resting comfortably after heart attack, according to New York Mets
Ranking
- Tree trimmer dead after getting caught in wood chipper at Florida town hall
- West Virginia GOP County Commissioners arrested over skipping meetings in protest
- Climate, a major separator for Biden and Trump, is a dividing line in many other races, too
- National Plant a Flower Day 2024: Celebrate by planting this flower for monarch butterflies
- Why members of two of EPA's influential science advisory committees were let go
- Michelle Yeoh Shares Why She Gave Emma Stone’s Oscar to Jennifer Lawrence
- Oscars 2024 red carpet fashion and key moments from Academy Awards arrivals
- Sister Wives’ Garrison Brown Laid to Rest After His Death
Recommendation
$73.5M beach replenishment project starts in January at Jersey Shore
Kate’s photo scandal shows how hard it is for the UK monarchy to control its narrative
2024 NBA mock draft March Madness edition: Kentucky, Baylor, Duke tout multiple prospects
Reports: Vikings adding free-agent QB Sam Darnold, RB Aaron Jones
San Francisco names street for Associated Press photographer who captured the iconic Iwo Jima photo
Fifth body found shot near West Virginia house fire where four people died
Céline Dion Makes Rare Public Appearance at Hockey Game Amid Health Battle
Lake Minnetonka just misses breaking 100-year record, ice remains after warm winter