Talk:Mega Millions

message: If I purchased 176 million tickets am i guaranteed to win 376 million and pay taxes on profit only? This would be a bad deal only if you have to split it with more then 1 person?
:True. In theory you could do that. However, lottery regulations state that you must fill out each little slip by hand! An Australian businessman tried to do this when the Australian jackpot hit astronomical levels, but couldn't get all of them filled out in time. Google it, and I think you'll find something. If you have any questions, please contact me at my talk page. Ian Manka 04:39, 7 March 2007 (UTC)
replies: text: The cash prize is only 220 million. So you would be laying out 176 million to win 44 million more, which will be reduced to about 25 million after taxes.  This is assuming you do not split with anyone.  If you do split with someone, which is not unlikely, you immediately take a 66 million dollar loss. This is a terrible strategy... and if you had $176 million and really wanted $44 million more, I am sure you could do it more easily with investments. 68.36.197.244 06:12, 7 March 2007 (UTC)
thread_title:  Buying every ticket

message: I have a question.  It says the mega ball is numbered one through 46, therefore the odds of getting only the mega ball correct should be 1:46, but it is listed as one in 75.  Am I missing something?  Im not going to edit it myself, since Im not sure if I'm missing something.
:1 in 75 is the odds of getting JUST the mega ball with no other numbers, as in you have no regular numbers match and the mega ball matches. Getting the mega ball with another number (or more) is worked into the odds for the other combinations which is where the 1 in 46 odds "go". Hope that makes sense. Gront 23:19, 30 December 2006 (UTC)
thread_title:  Probability 

message: In the intro
:Laws and regulations vary slightly and are generally governed by the applicable laws in the state where the ticket is sold. Mega Millions winnings are generally exempt from :state income tax in California, New Jersey, Texas, and Washington.
In the next section
:Mega Millions winnings are exempt from state income taxes in California and New Jersey.
Presumably the intro is correct, and the other sentence doesn't mention the other states, but I don't know for sure.  Regardless one of the sentences should be removed. --CVaneg 23:57, 21 July 2005 (UTC)
replies: text: Texas doesn't have state income tax (for anything). California exempts lottery winnings from state income tax. Don't know about the other states.Gront 23:19, 30 December 2006 (UTC)

text: I don't believe Washington has a state income tax, either. 69.42.13.45 (talk) 06:32, 14 March 2012 (UTC)
thread_title:  Income Tax 

message: The odds of winning the jackpot in Powerball are 1 in 146,107,962. But the odds in winning the jackpot in Mega Millions are 1 in 175,711,536. Is it true to say that Mega Millions is the most difficult lottery game in the world in terms of making the jackpot prize? I don't know any lottery game that has more odds. 61.9.126.41
Yes, the jackpot odds of Mega Millions are steep. However, the overall odds are 1:40. Mega Millions actually is a much better game than, say, New York Lotto (terrible payout) or Massachusetts Megabucks (still no cash option). 216.179.123.146 13:52, 27 April 2007 (UTC)
thread_title:  The most difficult lottery game to win in the world? 

message: I suggest that this article be protected until the drawing after the current jackpot ($370/ possible 470 million).
:Who won it? Was it Ed Nabers? Did I spell his name correctly? Moonwalkerwiz 01:08, 8 March 2007 (UTC)
replies: text: Is it just me or do some of you also feel profound jealousy towards winners of lotteries.  Life isn't fair!!! On the other hand, I heard somewhere that 90% of lottery winners end up with major family problems, mental issues, etc... so I guess thats our silver lining. The thrill only can last for so long... 67.112.122.163 05:12, 8 March 2007 (UTC)
thread_title: March 2007/Protection

message: Many US jurisdictions allow minors to receive lottery tickets as gifts, although of course all US lotteries have a minimum age to purchase them, which is 18 for all Mega Millions states, while a few of the MUSL/Powerball lotteries have higher minimums. An exception is Virginia, whose lottery prohibits minors from winning (now, what if an underage person finds a Virginia Lottery jackpot winning Mega Millions ticket?) 216.179.123.110 13:53, 16 May 2007 (UTC)
thread_title: Minors winning lottery prizes

message: I can't get the same answer as the odds for the second prize as listed (all 5 numbers but not the mega ball.)  This should be the number of possible winning tickets out of the total number of tickets.  So, Combin(5,5)*Combin(45,1) for the 5 correct numbers and the 1 wrong mega ball.  That comes out to 45 possible tickets.  45/175,711,536 is about 1 in 3,904,700.80.  So the odds as listed are off by 91.  Molybdenum1 14:52, 17 May 2007 (UTC)
replies: text:  791 was just a typo.  Why didn't you fix it to 701 yourself, you were right. 68.36.197.244 04:30, 9 June 2007 (UTC)
thread_title:  Odds for the second prize? 

message: Like most lotteries in America, the jackpot prize in Mega Millions is taxable. Meaning if you win it and select lump sum payment, approximately half of it will taken as tax. Are the prizes other than the jackpot also taxable?202.69.172.203 09:38, 21 May 2007 (UTC)
replies: text:  The "full present value" of the annuity in cash is certainly "less" (numerically) than the total value of the annuity.  However, the spending power is supposed to be equivalent. 68.36.197.244 04:34, 9 June 2007 (UTC)
replies: text:  There are a number of games in the US where the cash option is a fixed percentage (in such cases always smaller) of the annuity, rather than a "floating percentage". In such games, a cash option winner is "gypped" since they do not receive the actual cash value (of the annuity.) The cash options in MM, PB, and Hot Lotto are always a "floating percentage" of the annuity value. 216.179.123.145 15:42, 16 June 2007 (UTC)
thread_title:  Non-jackpot Prizes 

message: In billiards, the balls numbered 6 and 9 have a line at the bottom of the number looking like a parenthesis to avoid confusion between the two numbers. In Mega Millions, it is quite unbelievable how they're able to differenciate 6 and 9 without any extra markings on the balls.61.9.126.41 04:08, 2 June 2007 (UTC)
replies: text:  You are right.  I watched some videos of where the 6 and 9 are drawn, and the balls look identical to me:
http://www.megamillions.com/winningpicks/last_25.asp
* 6 = JavaScript:popupvid('video.asp?quality=high&date=5/15/2007')
* 9 = JavaScript:popupvid('video.asp?quality=high&date=4/20/2007')
My only guess is that the balls have some sort of orientation guide that I cannot see.
Interesting question.  68.36.197.244 04:40, 9 June 2007 (UTC)

text: I Tivo'd tonight's 11:00 drawing on ABC-New York DirecTV channel 86, ostensibly a high-def channel.  In slow motion the balls (54, 5, 16, 49, 31, 19 - good luck!) each seem to have a tiny line of print under each number, using my imagination only slightly I can see "FIVE", "FORTY-NINE", etc.  --CliffC 03:32, 20 June 2007 (UTC)
thread_title:  6 or 9? 

message: I find it unfortunate NY and TX require Mega Millions players to have to choose either lump sum or annuity when they PLAY, instead of after they win. In these two states, jackpot winners who choose annuity are stuck with the annual payments. (All Powerball members allow the choice to be made after winning-to give winners a chance to get proper advice). 216.179.123.104 17:04, 10 July 2007 (UTC)
thread_title:  When to choose cash/annuity

message: Hi, TVC 15. Your  17:07, 12 January 2009 edit summary didn't explain most of the changes that you made there. That edit restored some deficiencies in the article, which I had fixed earlier that day. If you have time, would you explain your reversion of the changes described in my edit summaries of 11:19, and 12:41, on 12 January 2009? I'm referring here to changes other than those related to the "advertised value vs. real value" discussion. Thanks, --LottsoLuck (talk) 21:53, 14 January 2009 (UTC)
thread_title:  Edits of 12 January 2009 

message: There is a multi-state lottery game called Win for Life. The three participating states are Kentucky, Virginia and Georgia, with the drawings administered by the Virginia Lottery. Given that it does not appear to have anything to do with Mega-Millions (with Kentucky being a Powerball member state), why does Win for Life (and predecessor game Lotto South) redirect to the Mega Millions page? — SterlingNorth (talk) 12:44, 28 June 2009 (UTC)
replies: text: I took it upon myself to remove the redirect from Win for Life to here for the reason above. — SterlingNorth (talk) 13:17, 28 June 2009 (UTC)
replies: text: GA and KY are leaving WFL on January 30, 2011, replacing it with Decades of Dollars. VA also will be offering DoD. 207.210.134.83 (talk) 21:38, 18 January 2011 (UTC)
thread_title:  Why does 'Win for Life' and 'Lotto South' redirect here? 

message: This article mentions Florida joining the Mega Millions, when I'm pretty sure it has not. Check the Wikipedia Powerball Article.  —Preceding unsigned comment added by 68.161.205.89 (talk) 05:07, 5 August 2009 (UTC)
thread_title:  Florida? 

message: Why is there the assumption all Powerball states are going to Mega Millions and vice version?   Are there references or citations confirming these Lotteries are selling Mega Millions soon?     IE...  The Florida Lottery has not commited to selling Mega Millions and has no plans to do so at this time.  —Preceding unsigned comment added by 70.121.179.67 (talk) 05:14, 10 February 2010 (UTC)
thread_title:  Assumption all Powerball States going to Mega Millions and vice versa

message: Global record for cash value jackpot 240 mil$ is not correct! In the UK there was a winner on 12 july 2011, he won 185 mil.€ or at that time 258.500.000 $ taxfree cash.  — Preceding unsigned comment added by 78.22.185.154 (talk) 09:46, 11 October 2011 (UTC)
thread_title:  record jackpots 

message: In the section The 2010 expansion of Mega Millions and Powerball, add  to the end of the sentence It is likely this cross-selling arrangement is a temporary measure, as lotteries investigate the possibility of merging the two games. (See Cross-selling expansion about a potential "national" lottery game.) so that it is rendered as
It is likely this cross-selling arrangement is a temporary measure, as lotteries investigate the possibility of merging the two games. (See Cross-selling expansion about a potential "national" lottery game.)
Also, in the section Winning and probability, add  to the probability of winning at least $10. Currently the text reads Overall probabilities: 1 in 306.11 for winning at least a $10 prize, 1 in 40 for winning any prize.[25] It should read:
Overall probabilities: 1 in 306.11 for winning at least a $10 prize, 1 in 40 for winning any prize.[25]
This is because footnote 25 lists a source that only gives the overall probability for winning any prize as 1 in 40, and does not list the 1 in 306.11 for winning at least $10.
 Done Thanks, Celestra (talk) 22:23, 31 March 2012 (UTC)
thread_title:  It is requested that an edit be made to this semi-protected page 

message: Needs attention: The Megamillions and Powerball table in Megamillions was missing some members as is the table presently in Powerball. Also, some of the dates differ in the tables. Which are correct? BiPolarCurious (talk) 14:02, 29 July 2012 (UTC)
thread_title:  Megamillions and Powerball 

message: The table shows the chance 2-4 will be drawn, does anyone know the chance of a 5x being drawn? Bumblebritches57 (talk) 07:39, 2 January 2015 (UTC)
thread_title:  5x Megaplier 

message: The verbal history of states adopting MegaMillions needs to be brought up to date. Considering that there is a neat sortable table, this verbose description could be reduced to a concise discussion of the growth of MegaMillions, and the move to cross-membership with PowerBall.
Why are (or were) the trademarks on the names MegaMillions and Megaplier owned by Illinois and Texas? What organization "owned" the game before 2010?
The notes on record payouts could be brought up to date. It looks like (more than once) someone added a sentence, mentioned that the winner had yet chosen annuity or cash, but the editor never came back when the choice was made.
What Megapliers have been used since 2013? What are the odds of each Megaplier?
  Solo Owl   05:52, 10 October 2015 (UTC)
thread_title:  Needs updates Suggestion 

message: Hello fellow Wikipedians,
I have just modified one external link on Mega Millions. Please take a moment to review my edit. If you have any questions, or need the bot to ignore the links, or the page altogether, please visit this simple FaQ for additional information. I made the following changes:
*Added archive https://web.archive.org/web/20080222000410/http://www.upi.com/NewsTrack/Top_News/2007/12/06/many_major_us_lottery_prizes_unclaimed/3678/ to http://www.upi.com/NewsTrack/Top_News/2007/12/06/many_major_us_lottery_prizes_unclaimed/3678/
When you have finished reviewing my changes, you may follow the instructions on the template below to fix any issues with the URLs.
Cheers.—InternetArchiveBot (Report bug) 17:02, 7 June 2017 (UTC)
thread_title:  External links modified 

message: Hello fellow Wikipedians,
I have just modified one external link on Mega Millions. Please take a moment to review my edit. If you have any questions, or need the bot to ignore the links, or the page altogether, please visit this simple FaQ for additional information. I made the following changes:
*Added archive https://web.archive.org/web/20111207112904/http://www.calottery.com/Games/MegaMillions/howtoplay/faq.html to http://www.calottery.com/Games/MegaMillions/howtoplay/faq.html
When you have finished reviewing my changes, you may follow the instructions on the template below to fix any issues with the URLs.
Cheers.—InternetArchiveBot (Report bug) 16:19, 24 January 2018 (UTC)
thread_title:  External links modified (January 2018) 

message: Recently, it has been announced that someone won the jackpot for over $1.5b. Could the page be updated?
Ref: https://abc7chicago.com/finance/mega-millions-winning-numbers-drawn-for-$15b-jackpot-single-winning-ticket-sold/4546340/ Kevindongyt (talk) 12:14, 24 October 2018 (UTC)
thread_title:  New jackpot 

message: This doesn't list the odds for the current game rules (beginning in October 2017). I can add them myself when I get time, but figured I'd make a note in case anyone can get to it sooner.
Additionally, I notice there's a lot of duplicated information in the "History" section and the "Versions" > "Winning and probability" section, namely a listing of the prizes and odds. The chart in the latter is more readable, and maybe should be the only place with that information.
Kugo2006 (talk) 19:01, 1 November 2018 (UTC)
thread_title:  Odds for current game