About Mega Millions
Mega Millions® is the big jackpot game that's still just $1 to play!
How To Play
Mega Millions costs $1 per play; $2 with the Megaplier® option.
Choose 5 numbers from 1 - 75 then pick your Mega Ball number from 1 - 15.
Use a play slip to choose your own numbers or request an "easy pick" from the clerk and the
lotto terminal will choose the numbers for you. Play more than one drawing by marking the "multi-draw"
box on the play slip for 2, 3, 4, 5 or 10 consecutive drawings.
Drawings are held at 10:00 p.m. Tuesdays and Fridays. Tickets may be purchased until 8:59 p.m.
on the evening of the drawing.
The jackpot begins at $15 million and grows until it's won.
Win the jackpot by matching all 5 white ball numbers and the Mega Ball®. There are nine ways to
win, so be sure to check your ticket after each drawing.
Mega Millions prizes must be claimed within 365 days of the drawing for which they were eligible.
Megaplier Option
Ask for the Megaplier with your Mega Millions purchase!
For an extra $1 Megaplier purchase you could multiply your prize from 2 to 5 times (except the jackpot).
And if you match 5 white ball numbers (regularly a $1 million prize), you could win up to $5 million**!
The Megaplier is chosen randomly at drawing time. How much a player's prize is multiplied
is determined by the Megaplier.
Prizes and Odds**
| Matched Numbers |
Prize (NO Megaplier) |
Odds |
| 5 + Mega Ball |
*Jackpot |
1 in 258,890,850 |
| 5 |
$1,000,000 |
1 in 18,492,204 |
| 4 + Mega Ball |
$5,000 |
1 in 739,688 |
| 4 |
$500 |
1 in 52,835 |
| 3 + Mega Ball |
$50 |
1 in 10,720 |
| 3 |
$5 |
1 in 766 |
| 2 + Mega Ball |
$5 |
1 in 473 |
| 1 + Mega Ball |
$2 |
1 in 56 |
| 0 + Mega Ball |
$1 |
1 in 21 |
Overall Odds: 1 in 14.71
If the player has elected the Megaplier option, the winning matches and the probabilities for matching the numbers drawn
stay the same. The following table shows the amounts paid to set prize winners for the multiplier numbers drawn:
Prize Payout with Megaplier (MP) Option**
| Match |
MP = 5 |
MP = 4 |
MP = 3 |
MP = 2 |
| 5 + Mega Ball |
*Jackpot |
*Jackpot |
*Jackpot |
*Jackpot |
| 5 |
$5,000,000 |
$4,000,000 |
$3,000,000 |
$2,000,000 |
| 4 + Mega Ball |
$25,000 |
$20,000 |
$15,000 |
$10,000 |
| 4 |
$2,500 |
$2,000 |
$1,500 |
$1,000 |
| 3 + Mega Ball |
$250 |
$200 |
$150 |
$100 |
| 3 |
$25 |
$20 |
$15 |
$10 |
| 2 + Mega Ball |
$25 |
$20 |
$15 |
$10 |
| 1 + Mega Ball |
$10 |
$8 |
$6 |
$4 |
| 0 + Mega Ball |
$5 |
$4 |
$3 |
$2 |
History
Mega Millions began on August 31, 1996, as the Big Game. In May 2002, the multi-state game was given the new name of
"Mega Millions." On January 31, 2010, 23 more state lotteries, including the Iowa Lottery, began selling Mega
Millions. In October 2013, the game was revamped with a larger starting jackpot, a $1 million second prize and better
overall odds of winning a prize. The largest Mega Millions jackpot won so far was a $656 million prize split by players
in Illinois, Kansas and Maryland in March 2012.
* The jackpot prize will be divided equally among multiple winners based on the amount available
to the lottery for the jackpot prize pool. The prize pool is estimated to be 55% of Mega Millions sales, but may be
higher or lower based upon the number of winners at each guaranteed prize level, as well as the funding required to meet
the official advertised jackpot. The official Mega Millions grand prize annuity amount is subject to change based on
sales forecasts and/or actual sales.
**The set prize amounts published here are based on the expected number of winners sharing in the
prize pool. For any drawing, if prize liability exceeds the lesser of 300% of Mega Millions sales or 50% of Mega Millions
draw sales plus $50 million, then all prizes except the jackpot prize, become pari-mutuel and will be lower than these prize levels.
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