You better hope the odds are in your favor. The odds of winning the Mega Millions jackpot are 1 in 302.6 million. At those stakes, you’re better off running for president or trying to become a movie star.
But winning the Mega Millions means you will be set for life. All you have to do is buy one little lottery ticket. However, learning how to win Mega Millions means more than learning how to tell a clerk what numbers you want.
How much money can you win off of the Mega Millions? What are some good strategies for buying tickets? What numbers should you select?
Answer these questions and you can be swimming in lottery money in no time. Here is your quick guide.
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Understand How to Win Mega Millions
When people say they have won the Mega Millions, they may mean a few different things. You can win $2 just by matching the Mega Ball. If you match a number and the Mega Ball, you win $4.
The more numbers you match, the more money you win. If you match five numbers but don’t match the Mega Ball, you win $1,000,000. Match all six, and you win the jackpot, which can be hundreds of millions of dollars.
You can claim your winnings by going to the place where you bought your ticket. Make sure you follow all lottery rules in your state. You may have only 90 days to claim your winnings.
Buy Multiple Tickets
It’s hard to win the lottery with one ticket. Whenever you play, you should buy a few tickets at once. Each ticket should have a unique set of numbers, if not completely different numbers.
If you have a budget for playing the lottery, you should buy multiple tickets every few months. Purchasing one ticket for every drawing will not be cost-effective in the long run. Your odds increase when you buy more tickets per game, not when you play more games.
Mix Your Numbers
There is no way of knowing what numbers will help you win Mega Millions. But in general, you should try to mix odd and even numbers together. This lets you balance your range of numbers and increase your chances to win money.
You should also combine high numbers with low numbers. You can select two balls between 1 and 38 and then three between 39 and 70.
You can select numbers that have been a part of winning combinations. However, you should never buy a ticket that has the same combination as a previous jackpot. The odds of a combination winning a second time are extremely low.
Start Playing the Mega Millions
The process of how to win Mega Millions is a little complicated. To win the jackpot, all six of your numbers must match, including your Mega Ball selection.
The more tickets you buy for a drawing, the better your chances are. You should limit the games you play and try to invest in big purchases of tickets.
Pick as many numbers as you can, including high and low numbers. Never buy tickets with the same combinations and never select combinations that have won before.
The Mega Millions is just one lottery. Read more lottery guides by following our coverage.
