Mega Millions is a multi-jurisdictional $1 lottery game in the United States. There are 12 jurisdictions that have Mega Millions,^[1] while 33 others, including the District of Columbia and the US Virgin Islands, offer Powerball, Mega Millions' main competitor. There are some differences in playing Mega Millions among its jurisdictions (details below).

Since May 2002, Mega Millions' advertised jackpots have started at US $12 million paid over 26 years, increasing when there is no jackpot winner.^[2] Reflecting common practice among American lotteries, the jackpot is advertised as a nominal value of annual installments. A lump sum (cash value) option, when chosen by a jackpot winner (see below), pays the approximate present value of the installments.

Mega Millions is drawn every Tuesday and Friday, including all holidays.

Contents 1 History 2 Playing the game 3 Texas Megaplier 4 The Kicker (Ohio) 5 Rules and taxes 6 Winning and odds 7 Machines used 8 The draw 9 Record jackpots 10 Participating members 11 Unclaimed prizes 12 Possible changes 13 Miscellany 14 Notes 15 External links

[edit] History

Tickets went on sale in Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan and Virginia on August 31, 1996, for the new lottery then known as The Big Game. Drawings were held weekly on Fridays until its first Tuesday drawing was added 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. New York and Ohio joined The Big Game on May 15, 2002. This was when the game was changed to its second name, The 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 (The Big Game) Mega Millions drawing was held on May 17, 2002. Three more states later joined: Washington (September 2002), Texas (2003), and California (2005).

On March 6, 2007, two winners split a record jackpot worth $233 million before taxes.^[3] The advertised jackpot totaled $390 million,^[4] representing a nominal sum of 26 annual installments before taxes and unadjusted for inflation or interest.

[edit] Playing the game

Since June 2005,^[5] a player picks, or allows the Mega Millions computer to pick, five different numbers from 1 to 56 (white balls) and one number from 1 to 46 (the Mega Ball number, a gold-colored ball).^[6] The Mega Ball number is drawn from a separate machine, so it can be a duplicate of one of the white ball numbers. Each play (a selection of six numbers for one draw) costs $1. In Georgia, New Jersey, New York, and Texas, players 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).

Previous incarnations of The Big Game and Mega Millions have had different matrices:

Date	Pick 5 out of	Pick 1 out of
September 9, 1996	50	25
January 13, 1999	50	36
May 15, 2002 (became Big Game Mega Millions)	52	52
June 22, 2005 (current)	56	46

[edit] Texas Megaplier

Mega Millions players within Texas 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. Unlike the actual Mega Millions game, the Megaplier is drawn using a random number generator (RNG).

With the expected expansion of Mega Millions into Powerball jurisdictions, some MUSL members have shown interest in adding the Megaplier.

[edit] The Kicker (Ohio)

Mega Millions players in Ohio can play an add-on game, called The Kicker, for an extra $1. Six digits (0-9) are printed on every Ohio Mega Millions ticket below the Mega Millions numbers, whether or not The Kicker is played. A Kicker ticket matching all six digits in exact order wins $100,000; there are smaller prizes also available.

[edit] Rules and taxes

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 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; 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.

[edit] Winning and odds

As of 2009, a player wins a prize according to the following chart:

Matches[7]		Prize	Approximate probability of winning
Normal balls (pool of 56)	Mega ball (pool of 46)
5	1	Jackpot[8]	1 in 175,711,536[9]
5	0	$250,000	1 in 3,904,701[10]
4	1	$10,000	1 in 689,065[11]
4	0	$150	1 in 15,313[12]
3	1	$150	1 in 13,781[13]
3	0	$7	1 in 306[14]
2	1	$10	1 in 844[15]
1	1	$3	1 in 141[16]
0	1	$2	1 in 75[17]

In California, the amounts for all prizes are paid on a parimutuel basis, rather than the fixed lower-tier amounts for winners in the other 11 Mega Millions lotteries.

Currently, Mega Millions (1:~176 million) has better jackpot odds than Powerball (1:~195 million).

The Mega Ball number cannot cross over to be used for matching a white ball number, or vice versa.

To put these odds in perspective, in the US in 2008 there were 1.03 deaths per 100 million vehicle miles traveled^[18]. A person living one mile from a retailer selling Mega Million Lottery tickets is 3.6 times as likely to die in an accident traveling to and from that store (2 miles) than winning the Mega Millions jackpot on a $1 play. Jackpot wining odds = 1 in 176 million; death odds = 2 miles * 1.03 deaths/100 million miles); 1 jackpot = 2 * 1.03 * 176 million / 100 million = 3.63 deaths.

[edit] Machines used

Like most games that use power or bonus balls, two machines are used. The model used is the Criterion II, manufactured by Smartplay International of Edgewater Park, New Jersey. The balls are moved around by means of counter-rotating arms which mix the balls in a random fashion. One by one, the winning numbers drop through a hole in the bottom of the mixing drum. To show the difference between which numbers are which, the balls in the first machine are white; the Mega Balls are gold.

[edit] The draw

Drawings are usually held at WSB-TV in Atlanta at 11:00 PM Eastern time on Tuesdays and Fridays. Formerly, the host was WSB's chief meteorologist, Glenn Burns. Now, most drawings are hosted by the new full-time host of the Georgia Lottery drawings, John Crow, with Courtney Cason subbing on occasion. For larger jackpots in excess of $200 million, the drawing is sometimes moved to Times Square in New York City, with New York Lottery announcer Yolanda Vega hosting the draw.

On June 24, 2005, to commemorate California joining Mega Millions, the drawing was held in Hollywood, with Carrie Underwood assisting Glenn Burns for the draw.

[edit] Record jackpots

Cash Value	Advertised	Date	Winners	Description
$223M	$390M	March 6, 2007	Two ticket holders (GA, NJ)	World's largest jackpot
$180M	$363M	May 9, 2000	Two ticket holders (IL, MI)	Largest The Big Game jackpot
$175M	$315M	November 15, 2005	Anaheim, CA	Largest single winning MM ticket (7 claimants)

[edit] Participating members

On October 13, 2009 the Mega Millions consortium and Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL) reached an agreement in principle to cross-sell Mega Millions and Powerball in U.S. lottery jurisdictions. Of the 45 lotteries currently with either game, 35 are expected to offer both games beginning on January 31, 2010.

MM = The Big Game (now Mega Millions); PB = MUSL (Powerball began in 1992)

• Arizona (PB 1994) (MM undecided)
• Arkansas (PB October 31, 2009) (MM January 31, 2010)
• California (PB in future) (MM 2005)
• Colorado (PB 2001) (MM undecided); had reviewed partinership with Mega Millions on March 17, 2009. ^[19]
• Connecticut (PB 1995) (MM January 31, 2010)
• Delaware (PB 1991) (MM in future) ^[20]
• District of Columbia (PB 1988) (MM undecided)
• Florida (PB 2009) (MM undecided)
• Georgia (PB undecided) (MM 1996); had offered Powerball but joined The Big Game (now Mega Millions) in 1996.
• Idaho (PB 1990) (MM in future)
• Illinois (PB undecided) (MM 1996); The Big Game drawings were initially to be conducted in Chicago
• Indiana (PB 1990) (MM undecided)
• Iowa (PB 1988) (MM January 31, 2010) ^[21]
• Kansas (PB 1988) (MM undecided)
• Kentucky (PB 1991) (MM January 31, 2010)^[22]
• Louisiana (PB 1995) (MM undecided)
• Maine (PB 2004) (MM in future)
• Maryland (PB in future) (MM 1996)
• Massachusetts (PB in future) (MM 1996)
• Michigan (PB in future) (MM 1996)
• Minnesota (PB 1990) (MM in future) ^[23]
• Missouri (PB 1988) (MM January 31, 2010)
• Montana (PB 1989) (MM undecided)
• Nebraska (PB 1994) (MM in future)
• New Hampshire (PB 1995) (MM January 31, 2010) ^[24]
• New Jersey (PB in future) (MM 1999); only member to join in The Big Game era
• New Mexico (PB 1996) (MM in future)
• New York (PB in future) (MM 2002)
• North Carolina (PB 2006) (MM January 31, 2010) ^[25]
• North Dakota (PB 2004) (MM undecided)
• Ohio (PB undecided) (MM 2002); note: NY and OH joined simultaneously when "Mega Millions" was added to the game's name
• Oklahoma (PB 2006) (MM January 31, 2010) ^[26]
• Oregon (PB 1988) (MM undecided)
• Pennsylvania (PB 2002) (MM in future)
• Rhode Island (PB 1988) (MM undecided)
• South Carolina (PB 2002) (MM January 31, 2010)
• South Dakota (PB 1990) (MM undecided)
• Tennessee (PB 2004) (MM in future) ^[27]
• Texas (PB in future) (MM 2003); see Megaplier above
• Vermont (PB 2003) (MM undecided)
• U.S. Virgin Islands (PB 2002) (MM undecided)
• Virginia (PB undecided) (MM 1996)
• Washington (PB in future) (MM 2002)
• West Virginia (PB 1988) (MM undecided)
• Wisconsin (PB 1989) (MM January 31, 2010)

All 12 current Mega Millions members have sold a jackpot-winning ticket; however, Massachusetts has yet to produce a winner since before The Big Game became Mega Millions.

California is currently the newest Mega Millions member, pending the expected addition of MUSL members beginning on January 31, 2010.

The Georgia Lottery had offered Powerball but was removed from MUSL soon after The Big Game began. It planned to sell tickets for both games for the remainder of that year; however, within a few days, Georgia was forcibly removed from MUSL, and has not returned. In October 2009, a new agreement was reached between Mega Millions and MUSL, allowing all US lotteries, including Georgia's, to offer both games.

New Jersey, as well as some other lotteries, in early 2009, announced it would seek permission to sell Powerball tickets alongside Mega Millions. In October 2009, an agreement between Mega Millions and MUSL allows all US lotteries, including New Jersey, to offer both games. The earliest lotteries are expected to offer both games is January 31, 2010.

Mega Millions players in Texas can add a multiplier, called Megaplier, which is similar to the PowerPlay option in Powerball; however, Megaplier currently is available only in Texas.

All other U.S. lotteries, including the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands have committed to Powerball (in October 2009, an agreement was reached to allow all U.S. lotteries to sell Mega Millions and Powerball tickets.)

Currently, the minimum age to purchase a Mega Millions ticket is 18 regardless of jurisdiction. Generally (an exception is Virginia), minors can win on tickets received as gifts; the rules according to each Mega Millions member vary for minors receiving prizes. (Several MUSL members have higher minimum ages for purchasing tickets.)

The game-wide cash option for Mega Millions began after federal regulations signed by then-President Bill Clinton no longer required the cash/annuity choice to be made when playing (although some lotteries still require a choice to be made in advance.) An Illinois winner, in late 1998, was allowed to take the winnings in a lump sum, even though the cash option was not officially available in The Big Game until January 1999.

Mega Millions winners have either 180 days (California non-jackpot prizes only) or one year to claim prizes, including the jackpot (although some Mega Millions winners lose the right to collect a jackpot in cash if they wait more than 60 days after the drawing).

[edit] Unclaimed prizes

If a jackpot prize is not claimed within the required time limit, each of the participating Mega Millions member states get back all the money they contributed to that jackpot. The 12 jurisdictions use unclaimed prizes for different purposes; an unclaimed Mega Millions jackpot prize is distributed mostly to education.^[28][29]

In 2007, a $31 million prize went unclaimed in New York.^[30] Secondary prizes of $250,000 are unclaimed in many states, including several in Michigan for 2007 drawings.^[31]

[edit] Possible changes

With Florida joining Powerball on January 4, 2009, the Mega Millions group is considering major changes to its game. One proposal would keep the matrixes at 5/56 + 1/46; however, the ticket cost would become $2. The lower-tier prizes would be increased, and a $2 (break-even) prize would be introduced for a 2+0 match. Perhaps most notable is that second prize (5+0) would become either a $1 million cash prize, or, be annuitized in 20 annual payments, with a fixed (e.g. $588,000) cash option. Also, the advertised jackpot would start at $20 million, compared to the current $12 million.^{[citation needed]}

In March 2009, it was reported that New Jersey, already a Mega Millions member, would seek permission to join Powerball. Shortly after New Jersey announced its desire to sell both games, discussions were revealed about possibly allowing each U.S. lottery to sell tickets for both Mega Millions and Powerball.^[32] On October 13, 2009 the "Mega Millions consortium and Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL) have reached an agreement in principle to cross-sell Mega Millions and Powerball in all U.S. lottery jurisdictions"^[33] as early as 2010.

[edit] Miscellany

The attack on the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001 resulted in the state of New York passing legislation that included joining a multi-state lottery game. Separately, Ohio also voted as such. Both states opted to join the then-Big Game (on May 15, 2002) and its seven members. The added populations of the two new states, in turn, led to a larger double matrix (actually, the first machine continued to hold 52 balls, while 16 gold balls were added in the second, meaning there were 52 numbers to pick from in each part of a $1 game.) At this time, the game was renamed Mega Millions.

In 2005, Mega Millions was the target of a mailing scam. A scam letter bearing the Mega Millions logo was used in a string of lottery scams designed to trick people into providing personal financial information by cashing bogus checks. The letter, which has been sent to people in several states via standard mail, includes a check for what the scammers say is an unclaimed "Mega Millions" prize. If the check was cashed, it bounced, but not before the bank stamped it with a routing number and personal account information, and sent it back to the fraudulent organization, providing them with the recipients' financial information.^[34]

A budget impasse in New Jersey in June 2006 led to the temporary shutdown of less-important state agencies on July 1, 2006. Among the casualties were the Atlantic City casinos and the New Jersey Lottery. 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 New Jersey, 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.^[35] She then filed a lawsuit against the woman who had come forward with the ticket, Rebecca Jemison. Several days later, when confronted with contradictory evidence, she admitted that she had lied.^[36] She was charged with filing a false police report the following day. 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.^[37]

[edit] Notes

[edit] External links

• MegaMillions.com - Official site
• U.S. Federal Trade Commission. Telemarketing and "Telephone Services: Prizes & Sweepstakes".
• U.S. Federal Trade Commission. "New Spin On Sweepstakes Scams."
• www.megamillions.googlepages.com - Statistics for Mega Millions Winning Numbers
• Map of Jackpot Winning Locations - Check on the map where the Jackpot winning tickets were sold

Preceded by Powerball	World's largest lottery jackpot May 9, 2000–February 18, 2006	Succeeded by Powerball
Preceded by Powerball	World's largest lottery jackpot March 6, 2007–present	Succeeded by Incumbent

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