How to Play
What is Mega Millions®?
Mega Millions is a multi-state lottery game with MEGA jackpots and MEGA fun! Jackpots start at $12 million and continue to grow until won. Mega Millions drawings are held each Tuesday and Friday. Now with the addition of Mega Millions to North Carolina, lottery players can enjoy big jackpots 4 times a week (including Powerball)! There are nine (9) exciting ways to win with Mega Millions.
How to Play
There are two play options for Mega Millions; a $1 Mega Millions ticket or a $2 Mega Millions Megaplier® ticket. A $1 Mega Millions ticket gets you in the game for a chance to win in the next upcoming drawing. A $2 Mega Millions Megaplier ticket also gives you a chance to win in the next drawing; however, the added Megaplier feature allows you to multiply your winnings on most prize levels 2 to 4 times, with the exception of the jackpot and Match 5 prizes. In the case of the Match 5 prize, if you've selected the Megaplier, the prize is automatically $1,000,000 regardless of the Megaplier number drawn.
For all other prize levels, except for the jackpot and Match 5 prizes, the randomly selected multiplier (Megaplier) will be shown during the Mega Millions drawing and ranges from 2 to 4. The Megaplier selected in each drawing is the number used to multiply the bottom seven prize level winnings for that drawing. The jackpot and Match 5 prize are never multiplied. (For Megaplier prizes, see chart below)
Here’s an example:
Let’s say you purchase a Mega Millions ticket with the Megaplier for $2. If you match 4 of the 5 white balls to win the $150 prize and the Megaplier number for that drawing is 4, then you've just won $600 ($150 x 4 = $600).
Selecting Your Numbers
Once you have chosen Mega Millions or Mega Millions with the Megaplier, picking your numbers is easy! You can complete a playslip to select your favorite numbers or ask the retailer for a “Quick Pick” ticket to have the computer select any or all of your numbers. You can play a total of five (5) sets of numbers on one playslip.
You can also choose to play in future drawings by using the same playslip for up to 26 consecutive drawings. To play consecutive drawings, you need to either select the “Multidraw” box on the playslip or ask the retailer for multiple draws at the time of purchase. If you win on any of the drawings during a Multidraw play, you can cash in your winnings at a retailer location and AN EXCHANGE TICKET will be printed for the remaining drawings that are still active on the ticket. Be sure to check your numbers and verify your ticket cost prior to purchase. A Mega Millions ticket CANNOT be cancelled after it is generated. The ticket, and not the playslip, is your proof of purchase.
All sales for Mega Millions stop at the draw close time of 10:45PM on the drawing days and resume following each drawing.
How to Complete a Playslip
9 Ways to Win!
The jackpot prize is won by matching five white balls (1 through 56) in any order, plus one gold Mega Ball® number (1 through 46) for a total of six balls played. However, there are also eight (8) additional ways to win by matching fewer numbers to the numbers drawn. With 9 prize levels, including a second tier prize of $250,000, Mega Millions offers many chances to be a big winner!
Prizes & Odds
| Match |
Prize |
Odds 1 in: |
Approximate overall odds of winning are 1 in 40.
*The jackpot prize will be divided equally among multiple winners. The jackpot is paid in 26 annual installments unless the cash option is selected at time of claim.
†All set prizes and Megaplier prizes, including the Match 5+0 prize, may be reduced if claims exceed available prize fund. In such circumstances, these prizes may become pari-mutuel as defined in the game rules. Pari-mutuel means that prize amounts are shared equally among all winners of the available prize pool for that prize level.
Subject to the published rules of Mega Millions and the North Carolina Education Lottery (NCEL), the fixed prize amounts indicated here may be pari-mutuel. Pari-mutuel means that prize amounts are shared equally among all winners of the available prize pool for that prize level.
|
+
|
Jackpot* |
175,711,536 |
|
|
$250,000† |
3,904,701 |
|
+
|
$10,000† |
689,065 |
|
|
$150† |
15,313 |
|
+
|
$150† |
13,781 |
|
|
$7† |
306 |
|
+
|
$10† |
844 |
|
+
|
$3† |
141 |
|
|
$2† |
75 |
Megaplier Prizes & Odds
| Megaplier Prize |
Multiplier of 2
(Odds 1:10.5) |
Multiplier of 3
(Odds 1:3) |
Multiplier of 4
(Odds 1:1.75) |
*All set prizes and Megaplier prizes, including the Match 5+0 prize, may be reduced if claims exceed available prize fund. In such circumstances, these prizes may become pari-mutuel as defined in the game rules. Pari-mutuel means that prize amounts are shared equally among all winners of the available prize pool for that prize level.
|
| $250,000* |
- |
- |
$1,000,000 |
| $10,000* |
$20,000 |
$30,000 |
$40,000 |
| $150* |
$300 |
$450 |
$600 |
| $150* |
$300 |
$450 |
$600 |
| $10* |
$20 |
$30 |
$40 |
| $7* |
$14 |
$21 |
$28 |
| $3* |
$6 |
$9 |
$12 |
| $2* |
$4 |
$6 |
$8 |
How do I find out the winning numbers?
Watch the drawings every Tuesday and Friday night at approximately 10:59pm on your area’s official lottery drawing station.
- WRAL - Channel 5, Raleigh
- WITN - Channel 7, Greenville, New Bern & Washington
- WAXN - TV64, Charlotte
- WXLV - Channel 45, Winston-Salem, Greensboro & High Point
- WLOS - Channel 13, Asheville
- Replays available on YouTube
You can also obtain winning number information or a copy of the game rules by calling the NCEL Player Hotline at 877-962-7529 ( TTY Number: 888-663-0154).
How to Claim your winnings?
If You Win The Mega Millions Jackpot, How Do You Claim?
If you are a winner of an NCEL Mega Millions jackpot prize, congratulations! You must sign the back of your original ticket immediately to preserve your ownership.
Prior to coming to the NCEL's Corporate Office in Raleigh, please call Player Services at (877) 962-7529 (9NC-PLAY). Player Services can verify the actual winning numbers drawn for a particular drawing date and provide you with instructions on how to claim.