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The Mega Millions jackpot is now at $1.1 billion for July 29, 2022. You might want to grab a $2 ticket while you still have time. The Mega Millions lottery drawing takes place at 11 p.m. Eastern (10 p.m. Central) every Tuesday and Friday night. But most retailers stop selling tickets a little earlier than that, typically 15 minutes to an hour before the drawing.
Heavy has put together a list of state-by-state cutoff times for tonight’s drawing. However, individual stores may choose their own hours, so if you’re running close to the deadline, you might want to call your nearest gas station or convenience store first, just to make sure you’re not wasting a trip. Scroll down to find the typical cut-off time in your state or just search for your state.
Here Are the Cut-Off Times in Each State
You can buy a ticket at any retailer that sells lottery tickets, typically a gas station/convenience store or a grocery store. It costs $2 to play and an extra $1 if you decide to use the Megaplier option.
Alabama: Mega Millions is not played here.
Alaska: Mega Millions is not sold here.
Arizona: Cut-off time is 6:59 p.m. Arizona time from the second Sunday of March through the first Saturday in November. It’s 7:59 p.m. Arizona time from the first Sunday in November through the second Sunday in March. Find a retailer here.
Arkansas: Draw sales end at 9:45 p.m. Central Tuesday and Friday.
California: Drawings typically close at 7:45 p.m. Pacific.
Colorado: No ticket sales Tuesday and Friday between 7:30 and 7:33 p.m., Monday and Wednesday and Thursday between midnight and 4:30 a.m., and Sunday between midnight and 8 a.m.
Connecticut: On draw night, ticket sales close at 10 p.m. and reopen at 11:15 p.m.
Delaware: Tickets on sale up to 9:45 p.m. on drawing days.
Florida: Sales end at 10 p.m. on drawing days, to allow adequate time for all 46 member lotteries to transmit their data. Sales are closed from 10-10:05 p.m. Eastern on drawing dates.
Georgia: Closing time is typically 10:45 p.m. Eastern. Contact your retailer for details.
Hawaii: Mega Millions is not sold here.
Idaho: Drawing time is 9 p.m. MT on Tuesdays and Fridays. The Lottery notes: “Players may purchase tickets until one hour and five minutes prior to the draw on the night of the draw. At one hour prior to the draw, sales will resume for the next draw.”
Illinois: Cutoff time is 9:45 p.m.
Indiana: Sales on drawing dates cut off at 10:44 p.m. Eastern.
Iowa: Cut off time is 8:59 p.m. on draw days.
Kansas: Players have until 8:59 p.m. on draw days to get tickets.
Kentucky: The cut-off time is typically 10:45 p.m. Eastern.
Louisiana: Purchase your ticket by 9 p.m.
Maine: Cut-off time is 9:50 p.m. Eastern on the day of the drawing.
Maryland: Cut-off time is 15 minutes prior to the drawing at 10:45 p.m.
Massachusetts: Cut-off time is 10:45 p.m.
Michigan: Cut-off time is 10:45 p.m the day of the drawing in retail stores and online.
Minnesota: Cut-off time is 9 p.m. on the day of the drawing.
Mississippi: Mega Millions is now played in Mississippi too. Contact your local retailer for cutoff times.
Missouri: No ticket sales are made Tuesdays and Fridays between 8:59 p.m. and 10 p.m, and daily between 2 and 5 a.m.
Montana: Drawings close at 8 p.m. local time, an hour before the drawing.
Nebraska: Cutoff time is typically an hour before the drawing. Call your retailer for details.
Nevada: Mega Millions is not played in this state.
New Hampshire: Cut-off time is 9:50 p.m.
New Jersey: Cut-off time is 10:45 p.m. Eastern.
New Mexico: Cut-off is 8:45 p.m. Mountain Time on draw days, and sales resume at 8:55 p.m.
New York: Ticket sales stop at 10:45 p.m. on draw nights.
North Carolina: Draw times end at 10:45 p.m on the day of the drawing.
North Dakota: You must purchase your ticket before 8:58 p.m. Central on the day of the drawing.
Ohio: Cut-off time is 10:45 p.m. on draw days.
Oklahoma: Purchase tickets until 8:59 p.m. Central on the evening of the drawing.
Oregon: Cut-off time is Tuesdays and Fridays at 7 p.m. Pacific.
Pennsylvania: Cut-off time is 9:59 p.m. local time the day of a drawing.
Rhode Island: Cut-off time is typically 9:50 p.m. on drawing nights. Call your local retailer to confirm.
South Carolina: Ticket sales stop at 10 p.m. on Tuesdays and Fridays.
South Dakota: Buy tickets until 9 p.m. Central/8 p.m. MT on the nights of the drawings.
Tennessee: Draw breaks begin at 9:45 p.m. Central (10:45 p.m. Eastern.) (Some places it’s 9:59 p.m.)
Texas: Ticket sales are not available during a draw break from 9:45-10:15 p.m. Central, and drawings are broadcast at 10:12 p.m.
Utah: Mega Millions is not played here.
Vermont: Cut-off time is 9:50 p.m.
Virginia: Tickets stop selling at 10:45 p.m. on draw nights.
Washington: Ticket sales cut-off Tuesdays and Fridays at 7:45 p.m. and resume at 7:46 p.m.
Washington D.C.: Buy tickets until 10:45 p.m. Eastern on draw nights.
West Virginia: Cut-off time is typically 9:45 p.m. Eastern. Find your retailer here and call for details.
Wisconsin: Cut-off time is 9 p.m. on draw days.
Wyoming: Draw breaks begin at 8 p.m. MT on the night of the drawing.
How to Play
If you match all five white numbers only, you’ll win $1 million (and more if you’re using a Megaplier option.) If you match 4 white and the yellow, you’ll win $10,000. If you match 4 white only, you’ll win $500. If you match 3 white and 1 yellow, you’ll win $200. If you match 3 white only or if you match 2 white and 1 yellow, you’ll win $10. If you match a yellow ball and a white ball during tonight’s drawing, then you will walk away with $4. That’s enough to buy yourself two more tickets for $2 each in the next jackpot. But if you only match two white balls and don’t match the yellow ball, you won’t win anything. If you match one yellow ball (which is the last number drawn), then you’ll win $2. But if you only match one white number, then you also won’t win anything tonight.
MegaMillions changed its rules as of April 3, 2020, because of slowing sales. The jackpot now begins at $20 million after there’s a winner rather than $40 million. The rate at which the jackpot increases each time is no longer guaranteed to be a minimum of $5 million, but is based on sales and interest rates.