Mega Millions
Originally named Big Game in 1996, Mega Millions is a huge multi-state lottery game. Since rebranding in 2002, the game has seen some of the biggest jackpot winners in history, with the record jackpot of $1.602 billion being won by one lucky player in August 2023.
Find out more about the popular American game, including the Multiplier feature and how to take part from Australia.
How to Play
Playing Mega Millions from Australia is possible through online betting services like Jackpot.com. These services are heavily regulated which means playing through them is very safe and your money is protected.
- Create an account - Clicking on any play banner for Mega Millions on Australia.National-Lottery.com will take you to a regulated betting service. Once you’re there you can create an account and begin playing.
- Pick your numbers - Choose 5 main numbers between 1 and 70 and one Mega Ball between 1 and 24.
- The Multiplier - Automatically applied to your Mega Millions ticket, the Multiplier increases prize amounts by 2, 3, 4, 5 or 10 times.
- Pay for your entries – Confirm and purchase your entries before the cut-off time on draw nights.
- Get the results - Sit back and wait for the Results to be available straight after the draws on Tuesday and Friday.
Dividends
You must match all 5 main numbers plus the Mega Ball to win the jackpot in Mega Millions. There are another eight ways to win including matching only the Mega Ball for a cash prize of $5 ($10 with the 2X Multiplier). The odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 302.5 million and the odds of winning any prize are 1 in 23.07
The follow table shows the prizes available in each division and the odds of winning. The prizes in Mega Millions are fixed in all states except California.
| Division | Numbers Matched | Prize Amount | Odds of Winning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Match 5 + Mega Ball | Jackpot (Variable) | 1 in 290,472,336 |
| 2 | Match 5 | $1,000,000 | 1 in 12,629,232 |
| 3 | Match 4 + Mega Ball | $10,000 | 1 in 893,761 |
| 4 | Match 4 | $500 | 1 in 38,859 |
| 5 | Match 3 + Mega Ball | $200 | 1 in 13,965 |
| 6 | Match 3 | $10 | 1 in 607 |
| 7 | Match 2 + Mega Ball | $10 | 1 in 665 |
| 8 | Match 1 + Mega Ball | $7 | 1 in 86 |
| 9 | Match 0 + Mega Ball | $5 | 1 in 35 |
The Multiplier
The Multiplier is automatically applied to your $5 Mega Millions ticket, and unlike the Megaplier that it replaces, the Multiplier feature isn’t optional. Any non-jackpot prizes won will be multiplied by the Multiplier either 2,3,4,5 or 10 times.
Biggest Jackpots
The biggest Mega Millions jackpot in history was won on 8 August 2023 and was worth $1.602 billion. It went to a single player from Florida, who purchased their ticket from a Publix in Neptune Beach. The grand prize was claimed by Saltines Holdings, LLC who took the cash option worth $794.2 million.
The jackpot has also reached $1 billion on multiple other occasions, including a payout of $1.537 billion ($877.7 million cash option) that went to a single ticket holder from South Carolina in October 2023.