Current:Home > NewsThe Mega Millions jackpot is $800 million. In what states can the winner remain anonymous. -OceanicInvest
The Mega Millions jackpot is $800 million. In what states can the winner remain anonymous.
View
Date:2025-04-12 22:58:48
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! (62146)
Related
- Rylee Arnold Shares a Long
- MLB at Rickwood Field: 10 things we learned at MLB's event honoring Negro Leagues
- Ryan Garcia suspended 1 year for failed drug test, win over Devin Haney declared no contest
- On wealthy Martha’s Vineyard, costly housing is forcing workers out and threatening public safety
- A South Texas lawmaker’s 15
- Vitamix recalls 569,000 blending containers and blade bases after dozens of lacerations
- Is this the Summer of Rock? How tours from Creed, Def Leppard, others are igniting fans
- ‘Hawaii Five-0’ fan favorite and former UFC fighter Taylor Wily dies at 56
- The Super Bowl could end in a 'three
- Newly named Washington Post editor decides not to take job after backlash
Ranking
- DeepSeek: Did a little known Chinese startup cause a 'Sputnik moment' for AI?
- Horoscopes Today, June 20, 2024
- Travis, Jason and Kylie Kelce attend Taylor Swift's Eras Tour show in London
- Caeleb Dressel wins 50 free at Olympic Trials. At 27, he is America's fastest swimmer
- Trump invites nearly all federal workers to quit now, get paid through September
- Photos show Kim Jong Un and Putin sharing gifts – including a limo and hunting dogs
- Travis Kelce, Jason Kelce and Kylie Kelce Are a Winning Team in France During Cannes Outing
- Peso Pluma and Cardi B give bilingual bars in 'Put 'Em in the Fridge' collab: Listen
Recommendation
A Mississippi company is sentenced for mislabeling cheap seafood as premium local fish
Trump is proposing a 10% tariff. Economists say that amounts to a $1,700 tax on Americans.
Still need your landline? California regulators just stopped AT&T from pulling the plug
Perfect Match’s Jess Vestal and Harry Jowsey Reveal What Went Wrong in Romance Off Camera
House passes bill to add 66 new federal judgeships, but prospects murky after Biden veto threat
When does Sha'Carri Richardson run at US Olympic trials?
Kristin Cavallari clarifies her past plastic surgeries. More celebs should do the same.
Swimmer Lilly King Gets Engaged After Qualifying for 2024 Paris Olympics