Mega Millions

Mega Millions (which began as The Big Game in 1996, with the name modified to The Big Game Mega Millions six years later) is an American multi-jurisdictional lottery game; it is offered in 44 states, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The first (The Big Game) Mega Millions drawing was in 2002 (see below.)

The minimum Mega Millions advertised jackpot is $15 million, paid in 30 graduated yearly installments, increasing 5% each year (unless the cash option is chosen; see below for differences by lottery.) The jackpot increases when there is no top-prize winner (see below for information on how the game's jackpot is funded.)

Reflecting common practice among American lotteries, the jackpot is advertised as a nominal value of annual installments. A cash value option (the usual choice), when chosen by a jackpot winner, pays the approximate present value of the installments. Mega Millions' current format began on October 19, 2013; its first drawing was October 22. Mega Millions uses a 5/75 (for the white balls) plus 1/15 (for the "Mega Ball") double matrix to select its winning numbers.