Mega Millions

Mega Millions is one of the two largest multi-state lottery games in the United States, alongside Powerball. First launched in 1996 as The Big Game, it was renamed Mega Millions in 2002. The game is played across 45 states, Washington D.C., and the US Virgin Islands. Mega Millions holds the record for the largest lottery jackpot ever won in the US at $1.537 billion in October 2018. The game is known for producing enormous jackpots due to its massive player base and the mathematical structure that makes jackpots roll over frequently.

Choose 5 main numbers from 1 to 70 and 1 Mega Ball from 1 to 25. Each play costs $2. The optional Megaplier feature costs an additional $1 and multiplies non-jackpot prizes by 2x, 3x, 4x, or 5x. To win the jackpot, match all 5 main numbers plus the Mega Ball. Quick Pick is available for randomly generated numbers.

Mega Millions draws are held every Tuesday and Friday at 11:00 PM Eastern Time. Ticket sales cut-off times vary by state, typically 1-2 hours before the draw.

Mega Millions offers 9 prize tiers. The jackpot starts at $20 million with a minimum $5 million rollover increase. Matching 5 main numbers without the Mega Ball wins $1 million. Lower tier prizes range from $2 (Mega Ball only) to $10,000 (4 main + Mega Ball). The Megaplier can multiply prizes up to 5x.

Mega Millions has a slightly wider main number pool (1-70) compared to Powerball (1-69), but a smaller bonus ball pool (1-25 vs 1-26). This means the overall jackpot odds are slightly longer. Consider mixing high and low numbers, odd and even numbers, and avoiding common patterns like consecutive sequences.

The game started as The Big Game on September 6, 1996, with six founding states. It was rebranded as Mega Millions on May 15, 2002. A major format change in October 2013 increased the main pool from 56 to 75 and reduced the Mega Ball pool from 46 to 15. The current 70/25 format was introduced in October 2017, designed to create larger and more frequent jackpots.