Melena Hill’s life took an unexpected turn when she stumbled upon her Mega Millions ticket, tucked away in a forgotten drawer. The Portsmouth, Virginia resident couldn’t believe her luck when she decided to check the winning numbers, over five weeks after the original drawing, only to discover that she had become an overnight millionaire.
Hill, in an interview with Mega Millions, described the moment as incredible. She felt a fluttering sensation in her stomach and couldn’t help but let out a small scream of excitement.
When Hill purchased the winning ticket for the January 9 draw, she opted for Easy Pick, which randomly selected six numbers on her behalf. Surprisingly, Hill managed to match the first five numbers on her ticket. Ordinarily, this would have entitled her to a $1 million prize. However, Hill decided to spend an additional dollar on the Megaplier option when buying the ticket. As a result, her prize tripled to a whopping $3 million, as reported by Mega Millions.
A lucky resident of Suffolk, Virginia, was the fortunate holder of Hill’s winning ticket. Throughout Fiscal Year 2023, the Virginia Lottery managed to generate an impressive sum of over $867 million dedicated to K-12 education. This contribution accounted for approximately 10% of the entire state’s budget allocated to K-12 schools.
The chances of matching the first five numbers in Mega Millions are a staggering 1 in 12.6 million. But the odds become even more astronomical when it comes to hitting the jackpot, with a slim 1 in 302.5 million chance of matching all six numbers.
How to play the Mega Millions
This Article Includes
To buy a ticket, you can visit your nearby convenience store, gas station, or grocery store. In certain states, online ticket ordering is also available.
To participate, you must select six numbers. Five of these numbers will be white balls, and they can range from 1 to 70. The remaining number, known as the gold Mega Ball, can be any number between 1 and 25.
If you feel like the odds are not in your favor, you can always opt for a “Quick Pick” or an “Easy Pick” option. This allows the computer to generate random numbers for you.
Players have the option to include the “Megaplier” for an additional $1, which has the potential to multiply non-grand prize winnings by two, three, four, or five times. The Megaplier drawing takes place before the Mega Millions numbers are drawn on both Tuesday and Friday.
In total, there are 15 Megapiler balls available.
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- 2X , five balls
- 3X , six balls
- 4X , three balls
- 5X , one ball
What are the largest Mega Millions jackpots ever?
According to the lottery, the following are the five largest Mega Millions jackpots ever won:
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- $1.602 billion from one winning ticket in Florida in August 2023
- $1.537 billion from one winning ticket in October 2018 in South Carolina
- $1.35 billion from one winning ticket in January 2023 in Maine
- $1.34 billion from one winning ticket in July 2022 in Illinois
Where to buy Mega Millions tickets
You can buy lottery tickets from various locations, including gas stations, convenience stores, and grocery stores. Additionally, certain airport terminals may also offer lottery ticket purchases.
You can conveniently purchase tickets online through Jackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network. This service is available in several U.S. states and territories, including Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Texas, Washington D.C., and West Virginia. With the Jackpocket app, you can select your desired lottery game and numbers, place your order, view your ticket, and even collect your winnings – all from the comfort of your phone or home computer.
Jackpocket has partnered with the USA TODAY Network to become the official digital lottery courier. As a result, Gannett has the opportunity to earn revenue by referring audiences to Jackpocket services. It’s important to note that Jackpocket is not affiliated with any State Lottery. Additionally, individuals must be 18 years or older to participate, except in Arizona where the minimum age requirement is 21, and Nebraska where it is 19. For those who may be experiencing a gambling problem, there are helplines available to provide support. In New York, individuals can call 1-877-8-HOPE-NY or text HOPENY (467369), in Massachusetts the number is 1-800-327-5050, in Oregon it is 1-877-MYLIMIT, in Puerto Rico it is 1-800-981-0023, and for all other areas, the helpline is 1-800-GAMBLER. To review the full terms and conditions, please visit jackpocket.com/tos.
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