How to Play Mega Millions
On this page you can find step-by-step guides to playing Mega Millions. The traditional way to play is to visit a retail location and buy a ticket in person, but there’s now also the option to choose numbers online from the comfort of home and let a lottery courier buy tickets on your behalf.
Draws take place at 11:00 PM ET every Tuesday and Friday. You must purchase your tickets before 10:00 PM ET on draw nights, otherwise you’ll be entered into the following draw.
Playing at a Retailer
- Mega Millions tickets can be bought from grocery stores, gas stations and even newsstands. Go to any of these retail locations and you’ll most likely be able to play.
- Ask the retailer for a Quick Pick if you’re not sure what to do or which numbers to play. This is the fastest and easiest method, and you’ll be given a random set of numbers on your ticket without having to think of them yourself.
- Take a playslip if you have numbers that you want to play. You must choose five numbers between 1 and 70, plus one Mega Ball number from a separate range of 1 to 24. Use a black or blue pen or pencil to draw a line through your chosen numbers, otherwise your selections may not be processed.
- Decide how many draws you want to play. There’s a Multi-Draw section on the playslip where you can specify whether you want your numbers entered into the next 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 20 or 26 drawings.
- Hand the playslip to the retail clerk (or insert it into the NYL vending machine) and you’ll receive your ticket once you’ve paid. Keep the ticket safe and watch the draw to find out if you’re a winner - or just check the numbers online!
- If you’ve got a ticket from the last 30 days, just give it to the retailer and ask to ‘Play It Again’. You’ll receive an identical ticket with all the same selections, starting from the next draw.
Playing Through a Lottery Courier
It’s easier to play without going out of your way to find a retailer, and now you can order tickets online and have a lottery courier buy them for you. Couriers such as Jackpot.com allow you to choose your numbers and draw selections, then they do the rest of the work on your behalf and even pay you automatically if you win. Here’s more on how the process works:
When each draw takes place, the winning numbers are randomly picked by a mechanical ball machine. Five white balls between 1 and 70 are drawn first. One gold Mega Ball between 1 and 24 is then drawn from a separate set of numbers. It is possible for the same number to appear as both a main ball and the Mega Ball. This process is watched over by independent auditors and is broadcast on television and online.
Cost and Multiplier
Mega Millions costs $5 per play. If you pick multiple sets of numbers, or enter multiple draws, the cost increases proportionally. For each play, a random multiplier will be assigned at the time of purchase and shown on your ticket.
The multiplier may be 2x, 3x, 4x, 5x or 10x, and if you win a non-jackpot prize it will be increased by the value of the multiplier. This gives you the chance to win up to $10 million without matching all the numbers, or get $50 just by matching the Mega Ball on its own.
Go to the Odds and Prizes page to learn more about the multiplier, and find out the payouts for all the different ways to win.