How To Play
Mega Millions® tickets cost $5.00 per play, with a multiplier included.
Players may pick six numbers from two separate pools of numbers - five different numbers from 1 to 70 (the white balls) and one number from 1 to 24 (the gold Mega Ball) - or select Easy Pick/Quick Pick. You win the jackpot by matching all six winning numbers in a drawing. In the event of multiple jackpot winners, the jackpot prize will be shared.
There are a total of nine ways to win a prize in Mega Millions, ranging from the jackpot down to $10, with five multipliers randomly assigned at purchase and applicable on all non-jackpot prizes:
Prizes and Odds
Prizes for each tier based on Multiplier and the Odds.
| Match |
Prize by Multiplier* |
Odds |
| |
2X |
3X |
4X |
5X |
10X |
|
| Multiplier Odds |
1 in 2.13 |
1 in 3.2 |
1 in 8 |
1 in 16 |
1 in 32 |
|
|
Tier1: 5 white balls and Megaball
|
Jackpot |
Jackpot |
Jackpot |
Jackpot |
Jackpot |
1 in 290,472,336 |
|
Tier2: 5 white balls
|
$2,000,000 |
$3,000,000 |
$4,000,000 |
$5,000,000 |
$10,000,000 |
1 in 12,629,232 |
|
Tier3: 4 white balls and Megaball
|
$20,000 |
$30,000 |
$40,000 |
$50,000 |
$100,000 |
1 in 893,761 |
|
Tier4: 4 white balls
|
$1,000 |
$1,500 |
$2,000 |
$2,500 |
$5,000 |
1 in 38,859 |
|
Tier5: 3 white balls and Megaball
|
$400 |
$600 |
$800 |
$1,000 |
$2,000 |
1 in 13,965 |
|
Tier6: 3 white balls
|
$20 |
$30 |
$40 |
$50 |
$100 |
1 in 607 |
|
Tier7: 2 white balls and Megaball
|
$20 |
$30 |
$40 |
$50 |
$100 |
1 in 665 |
|
Tier8: 1 white balls and Megaball
|
$14 |
$21 |
$28 |
$35 |
$70 |
1 in 86 |
|
Final Tier: 1 Megaball
|
$10 |
$15 |
$20 |
$25 |
$50 |
1 in 35 |
Prizes and Odds at each tier.
| Match: |
5 white balls and Megaball
|
| Your prize: |
Jackpot |
| Odds |
1 in 290,472,336 |
| Match: |
Tier 2: 5 white balls
|
| Your prize** if the multiplier is: |
| 2x |
$2,000,000 |
| 3x |
$3,000,000 |
| 4x |
$4,000,000 |
| 5x |
$5,000,000 |
| 10x |
$10,000,000 |
| Odds |
1 in 12,629,232 |
| Match: |
4 white balls and Megaball
|
| Your prize** if the multiplier is: |
| 2x |
$20,000 |
| 3x |
$30,000 |
| 4x |
$40,000 |
| 5x |
$50,000 |
| 10x |
$100,000 |
| Odds |
1 in 893,761 |
| Match: |
4 white balls
|
| Your prize** if the multiplier is: |
| 2x |
$1,000 |
| 3x |
$1,500 |
| 4x |
$2,000 |
| 5x |
$2,500 |
| 10x |
$5,000 |
| Odds |
1 in 38,859 |
| Match: |
3 white balls and Megaball
|
| Your prize** if the multiplier is: |
| 2x |
$400 |
| 3x |
$600 |
| 4x |
$800 |
| 5x |
$1,000 |
| 10x |
$2,000 |
| Odds |
1 in 14,547 |
| Match: |
3 white balls
|
| Your prize** if the multiplier is: |
| 2x |
$20 |
| 3x |
$30 |
| 4x |
$40 |
| 5x |
$50 |
| 10x |
$100 |
| Odds |
1 in 607 |
| Match: |
2 white balls and Megaball
|
| Your prize** if the multiplier is: |
| 2x |
$20 |
| 3x |
$30 |
| 4x |
$40 |
| 5x |
$50 |
| 10x |
$100 |
| Odds |
1 in 665 |
| Match: |
1 white balls and Megaball
|
| Your prize** if the multiplier is: |
| 2x |
$14 |
| 3x |
$21 |
| 4x |
$28 |
| 5x |
$35 |
| 10x |
$70 |
| Odds |
1 in 86 |
| Match: |
1 Megaball
|
| Your prize** if the multiplier is: |
| 2x |
$10 |
| 3x |
$15 |
| 4x |
$20 |
| 5x |
$25 |
| 10x |
$50 |
| Odds |
1 in 35 |
| Multiplier |
Odds |
| 2x |
1 in 2.13 |
| 3x |
1in 3.2 |
| 4x |
1 in 8 |
| 5x |
1 in 16 |
| 10x |
1 in 32 |
* Prize amounts in California are paid on a pari-mutuel basis and will differ from the fixed prize amounts shown here. Go to https://www.calottery.com/en/draw-games/mega-millions for the California Lottery prize amounts.
Sample representation of a new Mega Millions ticket; your actual ticket will vary:
![[sample ticket with 3 rows labeled A, B, and C] In this example non-jackpot prizes would be multiplied 3x in board A, 2x in board B, and 5x in board C!](/getattachment/How-to-Play/New-Mega-sample-ticket.png.aspx?lang=en-US "New-Mega-sample-ticket.jpg")
What if you win the jackpot?
Annuity option: The Mega Millions annuity is paid out as one immediate payment followed by 29 annual payments. Each payment is 5% bigger than the previous one. This helps protect winners’ lifestyle and purchasing power in periods of inflation.
See more information about the annuity option.
Cash option: A one-time, lump-sum payment that is equal to all the cash in the Mega Millions jackpot prize pool.