Mega Millions Calculators, Odds & Rules

Each $5 play picks 5 white balls from 1–70 and one Mega Ball from 1–24. Drawings are held Tuesday and Friday at 11:00 p.m. ET. Match all six to win the jackpot; nine prize tiers pay from $10 up to the jackpot.

1 in 290,472,336 — the number of distinct combinations of 5 numbers from 70 plus one Mega Ball from 24. The overall odds of winning any prize are 1 in 23. The Mega Millions Odds Calculator shows every tier.

The Mega Millions annuity is paid as one immediate payment followed by 29 annual payments, each 5% larger than the previous one, with the nominal total equal to the advertised jackpot. Winners may instead take a one-time lump-sum cash payment. The Mega Millions Payout Calculator compares both with estimated taxes.

Winnings are taxed as ordinary income: federal brackets up to 37% plus your state's tax on lottery winnings (California exempts lottery winnings; several states have no income tax). Federal withholding of 24% applies to winnings over $5,000 but is only a prepayment. Use the Mega Millions Tax Calculator for an estimate.

One of five multipliers (2X, 3X, 4X, 5X, 10X) is randomly assigned at purchase and applies to all non-jackpot prizes — it is included in the $5 ticket price at no extra cost. It does not apply to the jackpot.