Current:Home > BackThe Mega Millions jackpot is $800 million. In what states can the winner remain anonymous.-Angel Dreamer Wealth Society D1 Reviews & Insights
The Mega Millions jackpot is $800 million. In what states can the winner remain anonymous.
View Date:2025-01-11 10:36:23
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! (6966)
Related
- 24 more monkeys that escaped from a South Carolina lab are recovered unharmed
- Algerian boxer will get final word in ridiculous saga by taking home gold or silver medal
- House of the Dragon Season 3's Latest Update Will Give Hope to Critics of the Controversial Finale
- Georgia property owners battle railroad company in ongoing eminent domain case
- Eva Longoria calls US 'dystopian' under Trump, has moved with husband and son
- Dozens of sea lions in California sick with domoic acid poisoning: Are humans at risk?
- Stocks inch up in erratic trading as investors remain nervous
- As the Paris Olympics wind down, Los Angeles swings into planning for 2028
- Love Is Blind’s Chelsea Blackwell Reacts to Megan Fox’s Baby News
- 4 hotel employees charged with being party to felony murder in connection with Black man’s death
Ranking
- Trump on Day 1: Begin deportation push, pardon Jan. 6 rioters and make his criminal cases vanish
- Kamala Harris' vice president pick Tim Walz has a history of Taylor Swift, Beyoncé fandom
- Former national park worker in Mississippi pleads guilty to theft
- What investors should do when there is more volatility in the market
- Darren Criss on why playing a robot in 'Maybe Happy Ending' makes him want to cry
- Striking video game actors say AI threatens their jobs
- All the 2024 Olympic Controversies Shadowing the Competition in Paris
- Weak spots in metal may have led to fatal Osprey crash off Japan, documents obtained by AP reveal
Recommendation
-
Watch out, Temu: Amazon Haul, Amazon's new discount store, is coming for the holidays
-
Utility company’s proposal to rat out hidden marijuana operations to police raises privacy concerns
-
23 Flowy Pants Starting at $14.21 for When You’re Feeling Bloated, but Want To Look Chic
-
WK Kellogg to close Omaha plant, downsize in Memphis as it shifts production to newer facilities
-
Pistons' Tim Hardaway Jr. leaves in wheelchair after banging head on court
-
2024 Olympics: Michael Phelps Pretty Disappointed in Team USA Men's Swimming Results
-
Alligator spotted in Lake Erie? Officials investigate claim.
-
Spain vs. Brazil highlights: Brazil holds off comeback, will play for Olympic gold