Mega Millions®
Mega Millions® is an exciting big-jackpot game that begins at an incredible $20,000,000* and then grows even larger from there. The jackpot keeps building whenever there is no winner. The longer the jackpot goes without being hit, the bigger it grows. Drawings occur every Tuesday and Friday night.
* After a jackpot-winning Mega Millions ticket is sold, the starting jackpot amount for the next drawing will be determined by game sales and interest rates and will be announced prior to the drawing. There is no minimum jackpot increase for each roll.
Mega Millions tickets cost $2 per play.
Mega Millions tickets with Megaplier® cost $3 per play.
Mega Millions tickets are sold in 45 states, Washington, D.C. and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Visit a Maryland Lottery Retailer
You must be 18 years old or older to buy or cash Mega Millions tickets.
Provide the Maryland Lottery retailer with your playslip or use a self-service terminal to manually select your numbers or select “quick pick.” Before you use your playslip, be sure to verify that the numbers selected on your playslip are the numbers you want to play.
About Mega Millions Playslips:
- Playslips are available at any Maryland Lottery® retail location or create and use the ePlayslip available on the MD Lottery mobile app.
- Each playslip has five play areas or panels labeled A, B, C, D and E. You can play up to five Mega Millions plays on each playslip. Each play costs $2.
- A play consists of two fields. Select and mark five (5) numbers from 1 through 70 in the upper field and mark one Mega Ball number from 1 through 25 in the lower field. If you select too many or too few numbers, your playslip will be rejected.
- Make a heavy vertical mark through each number you choose. Use only pencil or blue or black ink. Red ink will not be accepted. If you make a mistake, mark the “VOID” box for that play. Then use any remaining open play areas to complete your selections. Please do not attempt to erase errors.
- If you want the terminal to randomly “Quick Pick” your numbers, mark the “QP5” box for White Balls and/or the “QP1” box for the Mega Ball for each play you want to purchase.
- Mark the Megaplier box if you want to add the Megaplier option; that option adds $1 to each play, for a total of $3 per play.
- If you are using the ePlayslip on the MD Lottery mobile app, follow the same instructions, but instead of handing your paper playslip to the retailer for processing, your ePlayslip will be scanned from your mobile phone.
- It is your responsibility to make sure your playslip represents the numbers you wish to play, the drawing(s) you want to enter, and all other information you want.
Drawings – Play More than One!
Mega Millions drawings are held twice a week, on Tuesday and Friday nights. You can play the same numbers for 2, 3, 4, 5, 10 or 15 drawings in a row, including the next drawing, by marking the appropriate “NUMBER OF DRAWS” box on a playslip or selecting the number of draws at the self-service terminal.
Ticket Cost
Multiply the number of drawings you are playing by the number of plays purchased. Then multiply the result by $2 to determine your Mega Millions ticket cost. Megaplier adds $1 per play, if selected (see above).
Mega Millions Tickets
MEGA MILLIONS TICKETS CANNOT BE CANCELLED OR VOIDED AFTER THEY HAVE BEEN PROCESSED. Tickets are only valid for the drawing date(s) shown on the ticket. Sales for Mega Millions tickets cut off approximately 15 minutes prior to the Mega Millions drawing. Sales for the next drawing start immediately following the cut-off. Winning tickets must be cashed in the state/jurisdiction where they were purchased.
If you are a winner before the final day on your ticket, you can still cash your ticket immediately. You will receive an exchange ticket for the remaining days of play.
Megaplier®
Increase your winnings for an extra $1 per play when you mark the Megaplier option on your playslip. Megaplier numbers are used to multiply non-jackpot prizes won on the Mega Millions draw immediately following the Megaplier drawing. Megaplier numbers are 2, 3, 4 and 5.
How it Works
For example, if you win $500 on Mega Millions and you played the Megaplier, and the Megaplier number drawn is 5, you multiply your winnings by five for a total winning amount of $2,500. The Megaplier number is randomly selected before each Mega Millions draw and will not appear on your ticket. The Megaplier multiplier does not apply to the jackpot prize.
Prize Structure
Click here to view Megaplier prize structure. Megaplier probabilities of winning are approximate.
How to Win
Every Tuesday and Friday night, five white balls from 1 to 70 and one Mega Ball from 1 to 25 will be drawn. You win a prize by matching some or all of the numbers drawn, as shown in the Prize Structure.
There are nine ways to win Mega Millions prize money, depending on how many of your numbers match the numbers drawn. The jackpot is pari-mutuel, so payment to each winner is determined by the number of winning plays for that particular draw. All other Mega Millions prizes, ranging from $2 to $1,000,000 and their related Megaplier prizes, are set, but may become pari-mutuel in certain circumstances.* (See * under Prize Structure.) You may only win one prize category per panel, the highest prize won on that panel.
Please see “How to Claim a Prize” in the [MORE] section of the app for full details.
Prize amounts of $600 or less in red can be cashed at any Maryland Lottery retailer.
| Match # of White Balls | Mega Ball | Approx. Prob. of Winning per $2 ticket | Base Prize* | Prize* with 2x MEGAPLIER® | Prize* with 3x MEGAPLIER® | Prize* with 4x MEGAPLIER® | Prize* with 5x MEGAPLIER® |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | Yes | 1 in 302,575,350 | JACKPOT** | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 5 | No | 1 in 12,607,306 | $1,000,000 | $2,000,000 | $3,000,000 | $4,000,000 | $5,000,000 |
| 4 | Yes | 1 in 931,001 | $10,000 | $20,000 | $30,000 | $40,000 | $50,000 |
| 4 | No | 1 in 38,792 | $500 | $1,000 | $1,500 | $2,000 | $2,500 |
| 3 | Yes | 1 in 14,547 | $200 | $400 | $600 | $800 | $1,000 |
| 3 | No | 1 in 606 | $10 | $20 | $30 | $40 | $50 |
| 2 | Yes | 1 in 693 | $10 | $20 | $30 | $40 | $50 |
| 1 | Yes | 1 in 89 | $4 | $8 | $12 | $16 | $20 |
| - | Yes | 1 in 37 | $2 | $4 | $6 | $8 | $10 |
The approximate overall probability of winning Mega Millions® is 1 in 24.0.
The approximate probability of a prize having 2x MEGAPLIER® is 1 in 3.0.
The approximate probability of a prize having 3x MEGAPLIER® is 1 in 2.5.
The approximate probability of a prize having 4x MEGAPLIER® is 1 in 5.0.
The approximate probability of a prize having 5x MEGAPLIER® is 1 in 15.0.
*In some cases, fixed prizes may be paid on a pari-mutuel basis and will be lower than these published prize levels. Refer to the Mega Millions Official Game Rules for a detailed explanation.
**The Lottery will announce the estimated Jackpot annuity prize value and the estimated cash prize value for every Mega Millions Drawing. The Jackpot prize will be divided equally among all Jackpot prize winning plays. When a prize is claimed, Jackpot winners will have the option to receive your Jackpot in a single (“cash”) payment or in annuity payments. A Jackpot prize will be paid as an annuity of 30 graduated payments over 29 consecutive years unless the winner selects the cash payment method within 60 days of the Ticket validation date, even though you have 182 days after the drawing date to claim your prize. The cash payment amount will be lower than the announced estimated Jackpot annuity prize. Variations in the announced Jackpot prize amounts may occur.
When there is no Jackpot winner, all of the Jackpot prize money is rolled over and added to the Jackpot for the next Mega Millions drawing. Following a drawing with a Jackpot winner, the annuitized Jackpot will start at $40,000,000.
Consumer Brochure/Consumer Game Information
Game rules are stated throughout this consumer game information on this website. In addition, the following Additional Rules also govern the Mega Millions game. Mega Millions tickets (“Tickets”; singular, “Ticket”) are bearer instruments. For your protection, sign the back of your Ticket. A playslip is neither a valid receipt, nor proof of purchase. Your game Ticket, not your playslip, is the only valid proof of the selection made and the only valid proof for claiming a prize.
MEGA MILLIONS TICKETS CANNOT BE CANCELLED OR VOIDED AFTER THEY HAVE BEEN PROCESSED. You have the sole responsibility for checking the accuracy of the data printed on your Ticket(s), including the numbers you selected and the drawing(s) you want to enter. Your Ticket will be valid for the drawing dates printed on your Ticket. The Maryland State Lottery and Gaming Control Agency (“Lottery” or “Maryland Lottery”) is responsible only for the numbers actually played via the Lottery terminal and printed on the Ticket. Neither the Lottery nor Lottery retailers will be responsible for printing errors. The only official winning numbers are the numbers actually drawn.
By purchasing a Mega Millions Ticket, the player agrees that all aspects of the Mega Millions game, playslip, Ticket, claiming, prizes, payment, subscription, and any subscription renewals are governed by and subject to all of the following as amended from time to time: all Maryland Lottery statutes, laws, regulations, policies, and rules, including Ticket or subscription validation requirements, other applicable laws and rules, all rules in this consumer game information, on the Mega Millions Subscription Application, on the Mega Millions playslip, and/or on the Mega Millions pages at mdlottery.com (rules on the Mega Millions pages at mdlottery.com are also referred to as “Rules”), and all Mega Millions and MUSL Mega Millions rules, procedures, and other documents. In the event of a conflict between the terms of the Rules on this website and any other terms, the terms of the Rules on this website shall prevail.
The Lottery is not responsible for lost, stolen, or destroyed Tickets, Tickets redeemed by a Lottery retailer in error, or for winning numbers repeated or displayed in error. All winning Tickets are subject to validation by the Lottery in accordance with Lottery rules and regulations. Tickets irregular in any manner or failing to meet validation tests or other requirements are void.
Prizes are not assignable or transferable except as provided by law. All winnings are subject to state, local, and federal taxation. For certain prize amounts State Obligations, including but not limited to overdue child support and/or certain other obligations to a State agency or other governmental entity, will be withheld from the prize(s). Player agrees that claim(s), if any, arising out of any Mega Millions Ticket or subscription can only be pursued against and litigated in the State where the Ticket was bought and issued, pursuant to the current rules and procedures of that State, and this is the player’s sole and exclusive remedy. Lottery’s liability for void or nonconforming Ticket(s), if any, is limited to replacement of the Ticket(s).
You must be 18 years old or older to buy or cash Tickets. Prizes must be claimed within 182 days after the drawing date. Mega Millions and MUSL Mega Millions rules and other documents are available upon request at Lottery headquarters and are subject to change from time to time. (Player(s) and winner(s) are sometimes referred to as “you” and “your”.) This consumer game information is subject to change.
