Va Lottery
As of July 2008, there are 12 members of Mega Millions, while 31 others (29 states, the District of Columbia, and the US Virgin Islands) offer Powerball, Mega Millions' main competitor. As of 2007, Mega Millions features jackpots of at least US$12 million, payable in 26 annual payments or a lump sum cash payout.
As will be explained later, there are differences in playing Mega Millions in several jurisdictions. Mega Millions is drawn Tuesdays and Fridays.
History
Big Game logo prior to the Mega Millions name change.
Tickets went on sale in Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan and Virginia for the new lottery on August 31, 1996, then known as The Big Game.
Drawings were held weekly on Fridays until its first Tuesday drawing on February 10, 1998. Beginning in January 1999, jackpot winners had the choice to claim the prize in cash.
In May 1999, New Jersey joined The Big Game, the only jurisdiction to do so before the change to Mega Millions.
On May 9, 2000, The Big Game offered a jackpot worth $363 million. The prize was won by two ticket holders (one each in Illinois and Michigan.) This was the largest under its original name and was once the world's largest.
This was surpassed on February 18, 2006 by a $365 million jackpot in Powerball.
On April 16, 2002, the last "major" The Big Game jackpot was won. The next month, The Big Game held its last drawing.
New York and Ohio joined The Big Game on May 15, 2002.
This was when the game was changed to its second name, Big Game Mega Millions, temporarily retaining the old name, and its "gold ball" logo. Also, the "Big Money Ball" changed its name to the "Mega Ball." After the game's name was altered, the yellow ball in the logo of the Mega Millions read "The Big Game." The first Mega Millions drawing was held on May 17, 2002; it initially was worth $25 million; however, sales in the new jurisdictions pushed the jackpot to at least $27 million.
This set a new world record for the largest jackpot, returning the title to Mega Millions after being held briefly by Powerball. There were two winners in the $390 million draw, one each from Georgia and New Jersey.
Playing the game
As of 2008, to play the game, a player picks five numbers from 1 to 56 (white balls) and one additional number from 1 to 46 (the Mega Ball number, a gold-colored ball); each selection of six numbers costs $1.
The Mega Ball number can be a duplicate of one of the white ball numbers, since the balls are drawn from separate machines. In Georgia, New Jersey, New York, and Texas, the player must also choose, in advance, whether they wish to collect a jackpot in lump sum or annuity.
Georgia and New Jersey winners can change an annuity ticket to cash; however, the choice is binding in New York and Texas. Tickets may be obtained from either retail locations, or by mail in select states (currently, only Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York and Virginia offer subscriptions by mail).
Exclusive to Texas, Mega Millions players also have the option to activate a multiplier should they win a non-jackpot prize; for $2, a selection of five white numbers and a Mega Ball can win a double, triple, or quadruple prize (up to $1 million cash) with the "Megaplier." This is in contrast to the game-wide option in Powerball's "PowerPlay."
Previous incarnations of the Big Game and Mega Millions have had different matrices:
With Powerball changing its double matrix in January 2009, making its jackpot more difficult to win (1:195 million) versus the current Mega Millions game (1:176 million), Mega Millions is expected to alter its matrixes as well; it is unknown when, or to what extent, as of August 2008.
(The Big Game/Mega Millions has changed its double matrixes every third year, according to the above chart.)
Tickets can be purchased until 15 minutes prior to the drawing (usually 11:00 PM Eastern time), accounting for local time zone differences.
Laws and regulations vary slightly and are generally governed by the applicable laws in the state where the ticket is sold, and the winner's home state (e.g. if a New Jersey resident buys a winning ticket near their workplace in Manhattan.) Mega Millions winnings are generally exempt from state income tax in California and New Jersey; Texas and Washington have no state income tax.
On the other hand, residents of New York City and Yonkers, New York pay city tax in addition to state and federal taxes.
As of 2007, a player wins a prize according to the following chart:
Currently, Mega Millions has longer jackpot odds than Powerball (1:146 million); however, the latter, when adding Florida in January 2009, will change the odds to 1:195 million.
The Mega Ball number cannot cross over to be used for matching a white ball number, or vice versa.
In Texas only, players can wager a second dollar to multiply any lower-tier prize; this option is called "Megaplier".
Machines used
Like most games that use power or bonus balls, two machines are used. The winning balls drop through a hole in the drum, one at a time.
However, drawings may sometimes be held elsewhere:
On February 20 and July 2, 2004, when the jackpot reached near-record levels (annuitized values of US$230 million and US$290 million, respectively), the draws were held in Times Square with New York Lottery draw host Yolanda Vega.
On June 24, 2005, to commemorate California joining Mega Millions, the drawing was held in Hollywood, California with Carrie Underwood assisting Glenn Burns for the draw.
On March 6, 2007, the draw returned to Times Square with host Yolanda Vega due to the world's largest jackpot offered (an annuitized jackpot of US$390 million).
Megaplier (exclusive to Texas)
The Megaplier is an optional feature available in Mega Millions; unlike its rival, Powerball (in which any player can activate PowerPlay). A player wagers an extra $1 on a set of six numbers (five regular, and the Mega Ball).
The rules for winning are the same as in a regular Mega Millions bet; however, a winning ticket holder has their prize multiplied by either 2, more often 3, or, most likely 4 (a win of $1 million cash is possible.) The Megaplier applies to all prize levels, except for the jackpot.
Record jackpots
Participating states
The following states participate in the Mega Millions lottery game:
California (joined in 2005; it is the newest member)
Georgia (original member; had offered Powerball but dropped out when the Big Game began)
Illinois (The Big Game drawings initially were to be conducted in Chicago)
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
New Jersey (1999); only state to join the then The Big Game
New York (May 2002)
Ohio (May 2002; New York and Ohio each joined May 15, 2002 when Big Game Mega Millions replaced The Big Game)
Texas (2003); also see Megaplier above
Virginia
Washington (September 2002)
All other states which operate a lottery participate in Powerball except for Florida; Powerball will be available there beginning in January 2009, with the game's drawings moving there permanently.
States without a date listed above are the six original Big Game members. Its second prize often rolls over, and has paid over $1 million (cash) on multiple occasions.
New York requires the jackpot choice (cash or annuity) to be made when the ticket is bought.
Ohio has a Kicker game that can be played only with Mega Millions.
A six-digit number is printed on all Ohio Mega Millions tickets, regardless if the Kicker is activated.
Texas is the other Mega Millions state that requires the payment choice to be made before winning, instead of after. (This also applies to its Lotto Texas.) Likewise, it is the only state with the Megaplier (see above).
Georgia and New Jersey, while requiring the cash/annuity choice when playing, allows an annuity ticket to be changed to cash when claiming (a cash ticket cannot be changed, however).
The game-wide cash option started after federal regulations signed by then-President Bill Clinton no longer required the choice to be made when playing.
Mega Millions winners have from 180 days (California non-jackpot prizes) to one year to claim prizes, including the jackpot (although some winners lose the right to collect a jackpot in cash if they wait more than 60 days after the drawing).
Unclaimed prizes
If a jackpot prize is not claimed within the required time limit, each of the participating Mega Millions members get back all the money they contributed to that jackpot. The 12 jurisdictions use unclaimed prizes for different purposes, usually, an unclaimed Mega Millions jackpot prize is distributed to education.
In 2007, a $31 million prize went unclaimed in New York . Secondary prizes of $250,000 are unclaimed in many states, including several in Michigan for 2007 drawings.
A scam letter bearing the Mega Millions logo was used in a string of lotto scams designed to trick people into providing personal financial information by cashing bogus checks. Not only were the in-state games (such as New Jersey Pick 6) not drawn for about a week, but all its lottery terminals were shut down, meaning Mega Millions could not be played in the Garden State, even though Mega Millions was drawn as usual.
Elecia Battle made national headlines in January 2004 when she claimed that she had lost the winning ticket in the Mega Millions lottery drawing of December 30, 2003 that was worth US$162 million. She then filed a lawsuit against the woman who had come forward with the ticket, Rebecca Jemison.
As a result of this false report, Battle was fined $1,000, ordered to perform 50 hours of community service, and required to compensate the police and courts for various costs incurred.
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