About Mega Millions
Mega Millions is a popular lottery game organized in the United States, available in 45 states, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Drawings take place in Atlanta, Georgia, every Tuesday and Friday evening at 11:00 pm ET.
Game History
Mega Millions launched on September 6, 1996, with drawings held only on Fridays initially. Tuesday drawings were added on February 10, 1998.
How to play Mega Millions?
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Select Your Numbers
Choose 5 numbers between 1 and 70 (white balls or main numbers) and 1 Mega Ball number between 1 and 24. -
Automatic Multiplier
As of April 8, 2025, all non-jackpot prizes are automatically multiplied by 2, 3, 4, 5, or 10. The separate Megaplier option has been removed. -
Winning the Jackpot
To win the jackpot, your 5 white balls and Mega Ball must match the drawn numbers. You can also win non-jackpot prizes with fewer matches, and those will be multiplied automatically. For the minimum prize, you need to match at least the Mega Ball number.
Ticket Costs
- Mega Millions Ticket: $5 per play
Automatic Prize Multiplier
Non-jackpot prizes are automatically multiplied by a random multiplier of 2, 3, 4, 5, or 10 times, included in the base ticket price. For example, if you win a $10 prize and the multiplier is 3, your prize becomes $30. No additional purchase is needed for the multiplier.
Odds of Winning and Prize Breakdown
Mega Millions offers fixed prize amounts, except for the jackpot, which grows with each rollover if there is no winner. In the event of multiple winners, the jackpot is shared equally.
Since the game’s start, the range of white balls and the Mega Ball number has changed several times, with the latest adjustment on April 8, 2025. Below is the table of current odds and prizes for the game.
| Match | Odds of Winning | Base Prize* |
|---|---|---|
| 5 + Mega Ball | 1 in 290,472,336 | Jackpot |
| 5 | 1 in 12,629,232 | $1 million |
| 4 + Mega Ball | 1 in 893,761 | $10,000 |
| 4 | 1 in 38,859 | $500 |
| 3 + Mega Ball | 1 in 13,965 | $200 |
| 3 | 1 in 607 | $10 |
| 2 + Mega Ball | 1 in 665 | $10 |
| 1 + Mega Ball | 1 in 86 | $7 |
| 0 + Mega Ball | 1 in 35 | $5 |
*Base prizes are automatically multiplied by 2, 3, 4, 5, or 10 times (excluding the jackpot).
How to Improve Your Chances of Winning the Mega Millions Jackpot
Looking to increase your chances of winning the Mega Millions jackpot? Here are a few tips:
Analyze Number Frequency
Check which Mega Millions numbers have been drawn most and least frequently on our
Mega Millions Number Frequency page.
Review Overdue Numbers
See which numbers are overdue for a win on our
Most Overdue Mega Millions Numbers page.
These numbers may have a higher chance of appearing in upcoming draws.
Try Unique Combinations
Playing combinations that haven’t been drawn before may improve your odds.
Use our Mega Millions Results Checker to see if your number combination has ever hit the jackpot.