Mega Millions is a popular multi-state lottery game in the United States. It is played in nearly every state, with the exception of a handful that do not participate. Mega Millions offers large jackpots that can grow into the hundreds of millions of dollars, making it one of the biggest lottery games in the country. With tickets sold in so many states, Mega Millions draws a lot of interest and attracts players hoping to win a life-changing sum of money. But how exactly does it work, and what states offer Mega Millions lottery tickets?
Overview of Mega Millions
Mega Millions is coordinated by the Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL). It began in 1996 as The Big Game, initially offered in select states. In 2002 it was rebranded as Mega Millions and within a few years it was available in nearly every U.S. lottery jurisdiction. Mega Millions draws take place twice per week, on Tuesdays and Fridays at 11 p.m. ET. At each draw, five white balls numbered 1-70 are drawn, as well as one gold Mega Ball numbered 1-25. To win the jackpot, players must match all five white balls plus the Mega Ball. The starting guaranteed jackpot is $40 million, but it rolls over and increases each drawing until there is a winner. The jackpot can grow into hundreds of millions of dollars before someone hits the winning numbers. There are also eight smaller prize tiers for matching some of the numbers. Mega Millions can produce huge jackpot winners who take home prizes in the $200-$500 million range! It’s no wonder the game has grown so enormously popular in the many states where tickets are sold.
Participating Mega Millions States
Currently, 45 states plus Washington D.C. and the U.S. Virgin Islands offer Mega Millions lottery tickets. The participating jurisdictions are:
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- US Virgin Islands
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
As you can see, the list encompasses nearly the entire United States. Mega Millions tickets are not sold in only five states: Utah, Nevada, Alabama, Alaska, and Hawaii. These few states do not participate because they do not operate general purpose lotteries. However, residents of these states can still play Mega Millions by purchasing tickets from neighboring participating states. For example, those living near the borders of Utah and Nevada often buy tickets in Idaho, Arizona, or California. So even non-participating states get the opportunity to play.
Mega Millions Ticket Sales
In the participating Mega Millions states, lottery players can purchase tickets at authorized lottery retailers. This includes convenience stores, gas stations, liquor stores, supermarkets, and more. Lottery tickets cannot be purchased online or by mail. Players must physically visit a retailer during business hours to buy Mega Millions tickets. Tickets usually cost $2 per play. For an additional $1 per play, players can activate the Megaplier option which multiplies non-jackpot prizes. Drawings take place at 11 p.m. ET on Tuesdays and Fridays. Players can typically buy tickets up until 10:45 p.m. local time on the night of the drawing. But cut-off times can vary by one hour in some jurisdictions.
Mega Millions Ticket Sales by State
The number of Mega Millions tickets sold varies widely from state to state. High population states like California and New York sell the most tickets. Meanwhile, less populated states sell fewer tickets. For example, California averages around 10 million Mega Millions ticket sales per draw. Montana, on the other hand, might only sell 200,000 tickets for a given draw. Generally, ticket sales are proportional to each state’s population. Here is a table showing approximate Mega Millions tickets sales per draw for some of the participating states:
| State | Approx. Tickets Sold Per Draw |
|---|---|
| California | 10 million |
| Texas | 5 million |
| New York | 4 million |
| Florida | 3 million |
| Pennsylvania | 2 million |
| Ohio | 2 million |
| Georgia | 1.5 million |
| North Carolina | 1.5 million |
| Michigan | 1.5 million |
| New Jersey | 1.5 million |
| Virginia | 1 million |
| Washington | 1 million |
| Arizona | 1 million |
| Maryland | 1 million |
| Minnesota | 500,000 |
| Louisiana | 500,000 |
| Wisconsin | 500,000 |
| South Carolina | 400,000 |
| Colorado | 400,000 |
| Oregon | 400,000 |
| Connecticut | 400,000 |
| Iowa | 300,000 |
| Kentucky | 300,000 |
| Oklahoma | 250,000 |
| Kansas | 250,000 |
| Mississippi | 200,000 |
| Arkansas | 150,000 |
| Delaware | 100,000 |
| Maine | 100,000 |
| South Dakota | 50,000 |
| North Dakota | 50,000 |
| Vermont | 50,000 |
| Montana | 25,000 |
As shown, Mega Millions ticket sales directly correlate with population size. Sparsely populated states sell vastly fewer tickets than densely populated ones. California dominates with about 10 million tickets sold for every draw. Based on rough estimates, Mega Millions sells around 50-60 million tickets for a typical drawing. This number can swell to as high as 100 million tickets when the jackpot grows very large. The Mega Millions member states divide up jackpot contribution and sales proceeds proportionally to the tickets purchased in each jurisdiction.
Notable Mega Millions Jackpot Wins By State
Over the years, Mega Millions jackpots have been won in most of the participating states. Only seven states have yet to award a jackpot win: Maine, Mississippi, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont, Wyoming and the U.S. Virgin Islands. However, keep in mind that Mega Millions has only been offered in the U.S. Virgin Islands since October 2021, so it is still new there. Here is a look at some of the largest Mega Millions jackpot wins so far, organized by state:
California
July 2021 – $96 million
December 2019 – $426 million
Kansas
August 2021 – $93 million
New York
January 2021 – $96 million
December 2018 – $298 million
March 2018 – $533 million (shared with New Jersey)
Illinois
June 2021 – $56 million
July 2020 – $202 million
Florida
January 2022 – $496 million
September 2017 – $533 million (shared with California)
Maryland
October 2018 – $556 million (shared with winners in California, Florida, Iowa, New York, South Carolina)
South Carolina
October 2018 – $1.537 billion (world record)
Michigan
January 2021 – $1.05 billion (shared with Wisconsin)
Arizona
July 2022 – $473 million
So while some smaller states have yet to award a jackpot, Mega Millions winners have been spread out across many different participating states. Most of the truly massive jackpots in excess of $400 million have been shared by multiple states. This demonstrates that huge Mega Millions jackpots captivate players throughout most of the United States!
Non-Participating States: Can You Play Mega Millions?
As mentioned earlier, there are currently five U.S. states that do not offer Mega Millions: Utah, Nevada, Alabama, Alaska, and Hawaii. Residents of these states do not have the option to walk into an authorized lottery retailer and directly buy Mega Millions tickets. However, there are still ways for non-residents to participate:
Utah
Those living close to the state borders can easily cross into Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, or Arizona to purchase Mega Millions tickets. Certain retailers near the borders also cater to Utah residents looking to play.
Nevada
Nevada residents often buy tickets in California, Arizona, Idaho or Utah. Certain retailers on the borders will sell to Nevada residents. Also, some third-party courier services buy tickets on your behalf.
Alabama
Alabama is essentially surrounded by Mega Millions states. Residents can hop across state lines into Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, Mississippi or Arkansas to buy tickets.
Alaska
There are no state bordering options for Alaskans. However, tickets can be purchased online using third-party courier services that buy and deliver tickets on your behalf for a fee.
Hawaii
Similar to Alaska, Hawaii residents must buy tickets remotely using online services. The geography makes state border ticket purchases impossible. But authorized online courier services cater to Hawaii residents looking to play.
So while Mega Millions does not directly operate in those five non-participating states, their residents can still find ways to purchase tickets. Proximity to state borders provides most non-residents an easy option. And additional ticket courier services are available for those in Alaska and Hawaii. Of course, players should thoroughly research and verify the legitimacy of any third-party ticket purchase services before using them.
The Future of Mega Millions
Mega Millions has expanded into nearly every corner of America since its inception in 1996. It continues working toward the goal of being offered coast-to-coast nationwide. The administrators are always in discussions with additional lotteries about joining Mega Millions. It now participates in the lottery systems of 45 states plus Washington D.C. and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Five remaining unaffiliated states continue to present an opportunity for future growth. Gambling laws and lottery restrictions have thus far prevented those last holdouts from offering Mega Millions. But public and political opinions can always evolve over time. There is the possibility that down the road, Mega Millions could convince state legislatures to permit participation. If that were to occur, excitement and ticket sales would surely rise across the country. For now, aspiring players in non-participating states still have means to get involved. But an eventual expansion into those areas would further boost Mega Millions into its rightful place as a true nationwide lottery phenomenon.
Conclusion
In summary, the Mega Millions multi-state lottery game is played in almost every corner of the country. Tickets are sold in 45 participating U.S. state jurisdictions, as well as Washington D.C. and the U.S. Virgin Islands. That encompasses the vast majority of the American population. Mega Millions has awarded jackpot prizes throughout most of those participating states. Only a handful have yet to sell a jackpot winning ticket. While five holdout states do not directly offer Mega Millions, their residents can still find ways to purchase tickets if desired. Mega Millions may eventually convince the remaining unaffiliated states to join. This would make it fully accessible to lottery players in all parts of the country. For now, the massive widespread participation from nearly every state has helped Mega Millions establish itself as one of America’s premiere lottery games. Its giant jackpot prizes will continue thrilling players throughout most of the United States for years to come.