Mega Millions® On Sale Now; First Drawing Tuesday
Nebraska Lottery players can now play Mega Millions, a multi-state jackpot game currently offered by 37 lotteries across the United States.
The addition of the Mega Millions game in Nebraska was made possible by an October 2009 decision of the members of the Multi-state Lottery Association (MUSL), which operates the Powerball® game, and Mega Millions member lotteries to begin a cross-selling arrangement. A hearing was held in Lincoln on January 5 to receive public comment on the proposed regulations concerning Powerball and the addition of Mega Millions in Nebraska.
Powerball and Mega Millions both feature large jackpot prizes, but in the past the games have been sold in separate jurisdictions. The Nebraska Lottery has offered Powerball since July of 1994. Since then, the Nebraska Lottery has sold more than $483 million worth of Powerball tickets for Wednesday and Saturday drawings, accounting for 35 percent of total Nebraska Lottery sales of more than $1.39 billion (as of fiscal year-end on June 30, 2009).
Mega Millions tickets went on sale at Nebraska Lottery retailers across the state starting on Saturday, March 20. The first Mega Millions drawing to include Nebraska tickets will be held on Tuesday, March 23. "We are excited to add Mega Millions to our product lineup," said Jim Haynes, Nebraska Lottery Director. "Our research shows that jackpot size is a factor when players purchase lotto tickets, and we feel our customers will appreciate having two more chances a week to win a jackpot prize by offering both Powerball and Mega Millions."
Mega Millions holds the record for the largest recorded U.S. jackpot - $390 million on March 6, 2007. The largest recorded Powerball jackpot won on a single ticket was sold in Nebraska on February 18, 2006, when a group of eight coworkers at the ConAgra Foods ham and corned beef plant in Lincoln split a $365 million jackpot prize.
| Overall Odds: 1 in 40 | ||
| Get | Prize | Odds |
| 5 of 5 + Mega Ball | Jackpot | 1 in 175,711,536 |
| 5 of 5 | $250,000 | 1 in 3,904,701 |
| 4 of 5 + Mega Ball | $10,000 | 1 in 689,065 |
| 4 of 5 | $150 | 1 in 15,313 |
| 3 of 5 + Mega Ball | $150 | 1 in 13,781 |
| 3 of 5 | $7 | 1 in 306 |
| 2 of 5 + Mega Ball | $10 | 1 in 844 |
| 1 of 5 + Mega Ball | $3 | 1 in 141 |
| Mega Ball | $2 | 1 in 75 |
Each Mega Millions play costs $1. Players select five white ball numbers from 1 to 56, and one Mega Ball® number from 1 to 46. To win the jackpot prize, which starts at $12 million and grows each time it is not won, players must match all six winning numbers. Other prizes in the game range from $2 to $250,000. Players who choose to add the $1 Megaplier® option have the chance to multiply their non-jackpot prizes as many as two, three, or four times. The odds of winning the jackpot prize are 1 in 175 million, while the overall odds of winning any prize are 1 in 40.
Mega Millions drawings are held every Tuesday and Friday at 10:00 p.m. (CT). Winning numbers will be available at the Nebraska Lottery web site, nelottery.com, and on the Nebraska Lottery Players Hotline at 1-800-224-LUCK (402-471-6139 in Lincoln).
Beside the chance to win cash prizes, Nebraska Lottery players are helping good causes across the state with every ticket they purchase. “The addition of any Nebraska Lottery game allows us to continue to support the environment, education, the Nebraska State Fair, and compulsive gamblers assistance,” said Haynes.
Since 1993, the Nebraska Lottery has raised more than $363 million for its beneficiary programs. Every county in Nebraska has benefited from projects funded by Nebraska Lottery proceeds.
Published on 01/11/2010