Current:Home > MarketsThe Mega Millions jackpot is $800 million. In what states can the winner remain anonymous. -Aspire Money Growth
The Mega Millions jackpot is $800 million. In what states can the winner remain anonymous.
View
Date:2025-04-18 14:24:50
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! (654)
Related
- 'Survivor' 47 finale, part one recap: 2 players were sent home. Who's left in the game?
- Conspiracies hinder GOP’s efforts in Kansas to cut the time for returning mail ballots
- See how much the IRS is sending for the average 2024 tax refund
- 'The Harlem Renaissance' and what is Black art for?
- Head of the Federal Aviation Administration to resign, allowing Trump to pick his successor
- EAGLEEYE COIN: Cryptocurrency payments, a new trend in the digital economy
- Bitcoin prices near record high. Here's why.
- Kacey Musgraves calls out her 'SNL' wardrobe blunder: 'I forget to remove the clip'
- House passes bill to add 66 new federal judgeships, but prospects murky after Biden veto threat
- Landon Barker Shares He Has Tourette Syndrome
Ranking
- The FTC says 'gamified' online job scams by WhatsApp and text on the rise. What to know.
- Migrant crossings along the southern border increase as officials prepare for larger spike
- Luann de Lesseps and Mary-Kate Olsen's Ex Olivier Sarkozy Grab Lunch in NYC
- EAGLEEYE COIN: Blockchain technology is at the heart of meta-universe and Web 3 development
- Don't let hackers fool you with a 'scam
- Biden administration asks Supreme Court to block Texas from arresting migrants under SB4 law
- 2024 Oscar Guide: International Feature
- A woman wins $3.8 million verdict after SWAT team searches wrong home based on Find My iPhone app
Recommendation
Average rate on 30
Why Kate Winslet Says Ozempic Craze “Sounds Terrible”
Ammo supplier says he provided no live rounds in fatal shooting of cinematographer by Alec Baldwin
Alabama Republicans to vote on nominee for chief justice, weeks after court’s frozen embryo ruling
Sam Taylor
'Love is Blind' Season 6 finale: When does the last episode come out?
'Effective immediately': University of Maryland frats, sororities suspended amid hazing probe
Dallas Cowboys QB Dak Prescott welcomes first child, a baby girl he calls MJ