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Mega Millions is available to play in 45 states, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. There were six participating states – Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan and Virginia – for the first draw in August 1996, when it was called The Big Game.
Mega Millions Winners by State
Use the table below to find out how many jackpot winners there have been in each participating state since Mega Millions began. The numbers here are updated shortly after the winning location of a jackpot winner has been announced.
| State | Jackpot Winners | Percentage of Total Jackpot Winners | Claims Period | Year Joined | State Tax Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York | 44 | 17.81% | 1 year | 2002 | 8.82% |
| California | 38 | 15.38% | 1 year* | 2005 | 0% |
| New Jersey | 25 | 10.12% | 1 year | 1999 | 3% |
| Ohio | 20 | 8.10% | 180 days | 2002 | 4% |
| Michigan | 18 | 7.29% | 1 year | 1996 | 4.25% |
| Georgia | 16 | 6.48% | 180 days | 1996 | 6% |
| Illinois | 14 | 5.67% | 1 year | 1996 | 3.75% |
| Texas | 14 | 5.67% | 180 days | 2003 | 0% |
| Maryland | 11 | 4.45% | 182 days | 1996 | 8.75% |
| Virginia | 10 | 4.05% | 180 days | 1996 | 4% |
| Florida | 5 | 2.02% | 180 days | 2013 | 0% |
| Massachusetts | 5 | 2.02% | 1 year | 1996 | 5% |
| Washington | 5 | 2.02% | 180 days | 2002 | 8.5% |
| Pennsylvania | 3 | 1.21% | 1 year | 2010 | 3.07% |
| Arizona | 2 | 0.81% | 180 days | 2010 | 5% |
| Indiana | 2 | 0.81% | 180 days | 2010 | 3.4% |
| Missouri | 2 | 0.81% | 180 days | 2010 | 4% |
| North Carolina | 2 | 0.81% | 180 days | 2010 | 5.75% |
| Tennessee | 2 | 0.81% | 180 days | 2010 | 0% |
| Arkansas | 1 | 0.40% | 180 days | 2010 | 7% |
| Idaho | 1 | 0.40% | 180 days | 2010 | 7.4% |
| Kansas | 1 | 0.40% | 1 year | 2010 | 5% |
| Maine | 1 | 0.40% | 1 year | 2010 | 5% |
| Minnesota | 1 | 0.40% | 1 year | 2010 | 7.25% |
| New Hampshire | 1 | 0.40% | 1 year | 2010 | 0% |
| Rhode Island | 1 | 0.40% | 1 year | 2010 | 5.99% |
| South Carolina | 1 | 0.40% | 180 days | 2010 | 7% |
| Wisconsin | 1 | 0.40% | 180 days | 2010 | 7.75% |
| Colorado | 0 | 0% | 180 days | 2010 | 4% |
| Connecticut | 0 | 0% | 180 days | 2010 | 6.99% |
| Delaware | 0 | 0% | 1 year | 2010 | 6.6% |
| District of Columbia | 0 | 0% | 180 days | 2010 | 8.5% |
| Iowa | 0 | 0% | 1 year | 2010 | 5% |
| Kentucky | 0 | 0% | 180 days | 2010 | 6% |
| Louisiana | 0 | 0% | 180 days | 2011 | 5% |
| Mississippi | 0 | 0% | 180 days | 2020 | 3% to 5% |
| Montana | 0 | 0% | 180 days | 2010 | 6.9% |
| Nebraska | 0 | 0% | 180 days | 2010 | 5% |
| New Mexico | 0 | 0% | 90 days | 2010 | 6% |
| North Dakota | 0 | 0% | 180 days | 2010 | 2.9% |
| Oklahoma | 0 | 0% | 180 days | 2010 | 4% |
| Oregon | 0 | 0% | 1 year | 2010 | 8% |
| South Dakota | 0 | 0% | 180 days | 2010 | 0% |
| Vermont | 0 | 0% | 1 year | 2010 | 6% |
| Virgin Islands | 0 | 0% | 6 months | 2010 | 0% |
| West Virginia | 0 | 0% | 180 days | 2010 | 6.5% |
| Wyoming | 0 | 0% | 180 days | 2014 | 0% |
| *Players in California have one year from the date of the draw to come forward and claim a jackpot prize, and 180 days for all other prizes | |||||
Unclaimed Jackpots
There have been three unclaimed Mega Millions jackpots since 2002. A $68 million jackpot was unclaimed in New York in December 2002, followed by an unclaimed $46 million top prize in Brooklyn, New York, in April 2003. The owner of a winning ticket worth $31 million also failed to come forward to claim their prize in Queens, New York, in August 2006.
Differences between States
There are some differences between states when it comes to playing Mega Millions. Find out more about what some of the main variances are below, including the process of buying tickets, adding the Megaplier option, and retaining your anonymity when you win the jackpot.
Buying Tickets
Mega Millions tickets can be bought for $2 from any one of the participating states. Prizes, however, can only be claimed from the state the ticket was bought in. Prizes cannot be claimed from elsewhere, so players must return to the relevant state to redeem their prize. Players don’t have to be a resident of a particular state or a U.S citizen to play and can still enter even if they don’t live in a participating state.
Tickets can be bought from most states providing players are over 18 years of age. The exceptions to this rule are Arizona, Iowa and Louisiana, where ticket holders must be 21, and Nebraska, where it’s available to those 19 years of age and over.
Megaplier not available in California
The Megaplier can be added onto a Mega Millions ticket for an extra $1 per line in all participating states except for California. That’s because lottery prizes in California are calculated on a pari-mutuel basis, meaning that prize amounts can change depending on how many entries there are in a particular draw. The Megaplier multiplies prizes by a fixed amount, which is incompatible with the pari-mutuel structure.
States That Allow Anonymity
There are eight states that allow Mega Millions winners to remain anonymous. These are Delaware, Georgia, Kansas, Maryland, North Dakota, Ohio, South Carolina, and Texas. This means that jackpot winners in these states can choose between going public and remaining anonymous.
Jackpot winners in other states must go public with their win. A winner’s name and hometown or city are usually disclosed in these instances, but private details such as a telephone number and home address are always kept private. It is advisable to check with your state lottery to find out how much of your personal information will be made public in the event of a jackpot win.
Claiming Prizes
The length of time winners have to claim a Mega Millions prize varies from state to state, ranging from 90 days up to one year. A full list can be found in the table above. Players who have bought a ticket from a retailer should always sign the back of it and keep it in a safe place. In most states, winnings worth up to $599 can be collected from any licensed retailer. Prizes above this value are normally redeemed through lottery claim centers, whilst jackpots are handled by state lottery headquarters.
Paying Taxes
Any Mega Millions winnings must be declared on an income tax form, and 25 percent federal tax is taken on all amounts over $5,000. Winnings below $5,000 are normally exempt from taxes, and state taxes must also be paid, depending on a winner’s location. The rate of tax to pay in each state is shown in the table above. Further advice should be sought from a professional financial advisor.
