Code of Massachusetts Regulations › 961 CMR - STATE LOTTERY COMMISSION › Title 961 CMR 2.00 - Rules and Regulations › Section 2.59 - Semi-weekly Multi-state Game - MEGA MILLIONS

Current through Register 1525, July 5, 2024
(1)
Effective
			 Date/Purpose
. Beginning October 28, 2017, the following shall be
			 in effect. The purpose of the MEGA MILLIONS game is the generation of revenue
			 for Party Lotteries through the operation of a specially-designed multi-state
			 lottery game that will award prizes to ticket holders matching specified
			 combinations of numbers randomly selected in regularly scheduled drawings.
During each MEGA MILLIONS drawing, six MEGA MILLIONS Winning
				Numbers will be selected from two fields of numbers in the following manner:
				five winning numbers from a field numbered one through 70; and one winning
				number from a second field numbered one through 25.
Add-on Game. Where permitted by the governing laws, policies,
				procedures, regulations or rules of any Party Lottery jurisdiction, any Party
				Lottery, or several Party Lotteries together, may institute an Add-on Game that
				may provide prize amounts in addition to MEGA MILLIONS prize
				amounts.
(2)
Definitions
. Capitalized words and terms set forth
			 below, when used within 961 CMR 2.59 shall have the following meaning unless
			 otherwise indicated:
Add-on Game
. A game that may provide
				prize amounts in addition to the MEGA MILLIONS prizes, other than the MEGA
				MILLIONS Grand/Jackpot Prize.
Annual/Annuitize(d)/Annuity Option
.
				The manner in which the MEGA MILLIONS Grand/Jackpot Prize may be paid in 30
				graduated annual installments.
Authorized Claim Center
. Any MEGA
				MILLIONS Agent or Retailer, or Party Lottery office, in the state where the
				winning Official MEGA MILLIONS Ticket was purchased.
Cash Option
. The manner in which the
				MEGA MILLIONS Grand/Jackpot Prize may be paid in a single payment.
Claimant
. Any person or (where
				permitted) entity submitting a claim form or, for a Mobile Claim, all claim and
				ticket information as required by the Mobile Claim Process, within the required
				time period to collect a prize for an Official MEGA MILLIONS Ticket. A Claimant
				may be the Purchaser, the person or (where permitted) entity named on a signed
				Official MEGA MILLIONS Ticket, the bearer of an unsigned Official MEGA MILLIONS
				Ticket, or any other person or (where permitted) entity who may seek
				entitlement to a MEGA MILLIONS prize payment in accordance with the MEGA
				MILLIONS Rules and Party Lottery governing laws, policies and rules. No
				Claimant may assert rights different from the rights acquired by the original
				Purchaser at the time of purchase.
Director(s)
. The chief executive of
				any Party Lottery or any other person to whom the Director's authority is
				lawfully delegated.
Grand/Jackpot Prize
. The top prize in
				the MEGA MILLIONS game.
Internet Game Ticket
. A game ticket
				for MEGA MILLIONS purchased
via
the internet, with or without
				the Megaplier option, where permitted by the governing laws, policies or rules
				of a Party Lottery. Where sales of MEGA MILLIONS game tickets
via
the internet are authorized, such sales shall constitute
				Official MEGA MILLIONS Tickets for validation and other purposes set forth in
				961 CMR 2.59.
MEGA MILLIONS Agent, Sales Agent or
				Retailer
. A location in the State of Georgia, Illinois, Maryland,
				Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Virginia, Washington or
				California licensed or contracted and equipped by its respective Party Lottery
				to sell Official MEGA MILLIONS Tickets.
MEGA MILLIONS Panel, Play Area or Play
				Board
. That area of an Official MEGA MILLIONS Ticket containing
				one field of five one or two-digit player or computer selected numbers, and a
				second field of one one or two-digit player or computer selected
				numbers.
MEGA MILLIONS Play/Bet Slip
. A
				computer-readable form, printed and issued by each Party Lottery, used in
				purchasing an Official MEGA MILLIONS Ticket, having a certain number of
				separate play areas (as designated by each Party Lottery), with each play area
				consisting of two fields. One field contains 70 areas/spaces, numbered one
				through 70; and one field contains 25 areas/spaces, numbered one through 25.
				The Play/Bet Slip may additionally include boxes for selection of Cash Option
				or Annuity Option or other play features, at the discretion of each Party
				Lottery.
MEGA MILLIONS Winning Numbers
. Five
				one or two digit numbers, from one through 70 and one one or two-digit number
				from one through 25, randomly selected at each MEGA MILLIONS drawing, which
				shall be used to determine winning MEGA MILLIONS plays contained on Official
				MEGA MILLIONS Tickets.
Official MEGA MILLIONS Ticket
. A game
				ticket, produced on official paper stock by a MEGA MILLIONS Agent or Retailer
				in an authorized manner, bearing player or computer selected numbers, game
				name, drawing date, amount of wager, and validation data. Where
				Subscription/Season Ticket sales of Official MEGA MILLIONS Tickets are
				authorized by a Party Lottery pursuant to 961 CMR 2.59(3), such sales may not
				necessarily be made by a MEGA MILLIONS Agent or Retailer and may not be
				recorded on official paper stock, but shall nevertheless constitute Official
				MEGA MILLIONS Tickets for validation and other purposes set forth in 961 CMR
				2.59, for the duration of the Subscription/Season Ticket.
Megaplier
. Megaplier is a MEGA
				MILLIONS Add-on game as defined in 961 CMR 2.59(2) by which a player, for an
				additional wager of $1 per play, can increase the guaranteed prize amount or
				pari-mutuel prize amount, as applicable, for all non-Grand/Jackpot prizes,
				depending on the multiplier number that is drawn prior to the Mega Millions
				drawing. There is no multiplier for the Grand/Jackpot Prize.
Megaplier Feature Play
.
(a)
Type of Play
. A
			 Mega Millions player may elect to participate in the "Megaplier" feature by
			 paying an additional $1 per play at the time of his or her MEGA MILLIONS ticket
			 purchase.
(b)
Megaplier
			 Drawing
. A random drawing will occur before every MEGA MILLIONS
			 drawing to determine one multiplier number for that drawing. The multiplier
			 number that will be selected will be either a 2, 3, 4 or 5. The multiplier
			 number drawn will be used to multiply the value of all non-Grand/Jackpot
			 prizes. In the event the multiplier drawing does not occur prior to the MEGA
			 MILLIONS drawing, the multiplier number will be a 5.
(c)
Multiplier Number
			 Frequency
. The one multiplier number will be selected from a field
			 of numbers according to the following relative frequencies:
Number
Relative Frequency
2
5 of 15
3
6 of 15
4
3 of 15
5
1 of 15
(d)
Application of Multiplier Number
.
1.
Non-grand/Jackpot
			 Prizes
. The multiplier number selected is the number that is used
			 to increase the prize amount for all non-Grand/Jackpot prizes. A
			 non-Grand/Jackpot prize winner who chose to participate in the Megaplier
			 feature by paying an additional $1 per play at the time of the player's MEGA
			 MILLIONS ticket purchase is paid a prize in the amount of the guaranteed prize
			 amount or the pari-mutuel prize amount, as applicable, multiplied by the
			 multiplier number for that drawing.
2.
Grand/Jackpot
			 Prize
. The Megaplier feature does not apply to the Grand/Jackpot
			 prize.
(e)
Special Megaplier Promotions
. The Mega Millions Group
			 may periodically agree to change one or more of the Megaplier multiplier
			 numbers for non-Grand/Jackpot prizes, in order to conduct special Megaplier
			 promotions during specified time periods. The relative frequency of the
			 Megaplier numbers may be changed and/or additional numbers may be added to the
			 matrix at the discretion of the Mega Millions Group, from time to time for
			 promotional purposes. Such special promotions and matrix changes shall be
			 announced by public notice; each participating state will announce the
			 promotion according to the laws or customs of the participating state.
Pari-mutuel
. Total amount of sales
				allocated to pay prize Claimants, at the designated prize level, divided among
				the number of winning Official MEGA MILLIONS plays.
Party Lottery or Lotteries
. One or
				more of the state lotteries established and operated pursuant to the laws of
				Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York,
				Ohio, Virginia, Washington and California.
Prize Fund
. That portion of MEGA
				MILLIONS gross sales set aside for the payment of prizes. The Prize Fund for
				any drawing is expected to be 50% of sales, but may be higher or lower based
				upon the number of winners at each prize level, as well as the funding required
				to meet the advertised jackpot.
Purchaser(s)
. Player(s) of MEGA
				MILLIONS who purchase tickets in accordance with MEGA MILLIONS Rules and Party
				Lottery governing laws, policies and rules.
Quick-pick, Auto Pick or Easy Pick
. A
				player option in which MEGA MILLIONS number selections are determined at random
				by computer software.
Shared Liability
. The liability of the
				participating states in any MEGA MILLIONS game prize, or any MEGA MILLIONS
				Add-on game, will be in accordance with the MEGA MILLIONS Members' Finance and
				Operations Procedures applicable to that game.
Subscription/Season Ticket
. An
				extended, multi-draw purchase option wherein the same set(s) of numbers may be
				played for a specified number of consecutive drawings (for example, 26, 52 or
				104), effective on a future date prescribed by the governing laws, policies and
				rules of the Party Lottery offering the Subscription/Season Ticket option.
				Subscriptions/Season Tickets are distinguished from multi-draw tickets
				authorized by 961 CMR 2.59(4) and (5)(j), which are effective with the next
				scheduled drawing.