Getty Mega Millions
If you’re watching the Mega Millions drawing, you may find that you matched only one number that was drawn. Does this mean you won something, even if you didn’t win the big jackpot? Unfortunately, if you only matched one white number on the Mega Millions drawing, you did NOT win any money. If the only number matched was the yellow Mega Ball number itself, then you’ll win $2.
Here’s How Much You Win for Matching One Number
There are multiple ways to win the Mega Millions drawing. But unfortunately, if you only matched one white number, then you haven’t won anything tonight.
If you matched one yellow ball (which is the last number drawn), then you’ll win $2. You can put that money into buying one more Mega Millions ticket! (And yes, if this seems different, then you’re right. Mega Millions used to cost just $1 a ticket, but now it costs $2 a ticket.)
Other Ways You Can Win Tonight
The $2 you’ll win for matching one yellow ball is the smallest prize amount. Here are other ways that you can win tonight. In order to win tonight’s jackpot, you’d need to match all five white balls and the yellow Mega ball. If you match all five white numbers only, you’ll win $1 million (and more if you’re using a Mega plier 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 one white and one yellow, you’ll win $4.
The odds of winning Mega Millions are 1 in 302.6 million, which are actually less than the odds of winning the Powerball, which is 1 in 292.2 million. Mega Millions recently changed its rules in October 2017, making the odds of winning the big jackpot lower (they used to be 1 in 258.9 million.) On October 28, 2017, Mega Millions increased the cost of buying a ticket from $1 to $2. They also changed the play structure. Instead of picking five numbers out of 75 and 1 number out of 15, players now pick five numbers out of 70 and and 1 out of 25.
When someone eventually does win the jackpot, it will take a while before we find out their identity (if ever.) Some states allow a few weeks to claim a prize and other states allow winners to take up to a year to claim them. And some states allow winners to stay anonymous. And as for the states that don’t — well, those rules might be changing soon, thanks to a recent Powerball jackpot winner in New Hampshire. Although New Hampshire rules allow people who win games like Powerball to take up to a one year from the draw date to claim their prize, New Hampshire law also requires the winner’s name, town, and amount won be available for public information. The winner was able to file a lawsuit and stay anonymous while claiming the winnings through an anonymous trust even though they had originally signed their winning ticket with their name.
