Mega Millions jackpot at $101 million: Purchase your tickets today
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The Mega Millions jackpot is now at $101 million. In Michigan, anyone 18 or older can sign up for an online lottery account and buy tickets online.
Mega Millions requires players to select five white ball numbers between 1 and 70 and a single gold Mega Ball between 1 and 25. Matching all six numbers wins the jackpot while matching fewer awards lower prizes.
buy your Mega Millions tickets. Entries cost $2 apiece, and the next drawing is tonight at 11 p.m. ET.
When you read about Mega Millions or other lottery draw games, you’re likely to see a few terms used interchangeably. These include “ticket,” “line,” and “entry.”
Is there a difference between these three terms? Generally, yes, but they are all very similar.
Ticket is an umbrella term that can be used to mean a few different things. Generally, it encompasses all your entries into a given draw game. A ticket, for example, might have three or four “lines” on it.
Lines, meanwhile, are single entries. In other words, when you select five white ball numbers and a gold Mega Ball number, that’s a single line. Each line costs $2. A ticket can have multiple lines on it.
Finally, there’s an entry. Entry works in place of either of the two terms above, so it can get confusing. One “entry” could constitute a single line, or it could be a larger ticket with multiple lines on it.
Of these three words, the most important one to understand is “line.” If you know that a line includes your six selected numbers, then you’re good to go.
Mega Millions and other lottery titles are all games of chance. This means wins are never guaranteed and there’s no way to increase your odds of winning. However, keeping a few things in mind can help keep your experience fun and entertaining.
You might see some websites or tips from players that suggest avoiding “cold” numbers or selecting “hot” ones.
“Hot” numbers have been drawn a lot recently, while “cold” ones haven’t shown up in a drawing for some time.
Do these designations mean anything in terms of the odds of a number coming up? No. Every number in the Powerball drawing is just as likely to be drawn as any other. Hot and cold numbers should not impact your decision.
With the Michigan Lottery app or desktop site, you can buy tickets online—no need to leave your house to get a ticket. There are various purchase options available, including manually selecting your numbers or having the system randomly generate lines for you. Plus, you can save your favorite purchases and use them again in the future.
Megaplier is a $1 per-line add-on that multiplies any non-jackpot win up to 5x. We recommend springing for it because it can maximize your potential win, even if you don’t win the jackpot.
Your odds of winning the Mega Ball jackpot are 1 in 302,575,350. Your odds to win the jackpot won’t increase by purchasing more lines. Instead, each individual line has those same odds. Don’t overdo it with purchasing lines thinking it will increase your odds.
There are many smaller prizes available in the Mega Millions drawing. The odds of winning any prize are 1 in 24.
Don’t take the Mega Millions drawing too seriously. Remember it’s a game! Have fun with picking your numbers. Use birthdays, anniversaries, and other important dates to make your picks. Ask friends for help selecting your numbers. Find ways to keep it entertaining.
If you’re lucky enough to win a Mega Millions jackpot, you have two payment options: the full jackpot amount paid in a 30-year annuity with increasing annual payments or a lump-sum cash option.
Our recommendation is the cash option. It only gives about half of the advertised jackpot amount (pre-tax), but it’s instant once you verify your win and identity. Who knows what could happen in the next 30 years?
Only play Mega Millions and other lottery games as long as it’s fun. Stop playing if you notice signs of problem gambling.
With the tips and tricks above in mind, you can play Mega Millions now! Sign up with our link and buy your tickets for tonight’s drawing.
Sidelines Group provides MLive with original sports betting, lottery and casino content including odds, analysis, predictions and reviews to educate bettors. Please bet responsibly.
If you have a gambling problem and are located in Michigan, call 1-800-GAMBLER or 1-800-270-7117 or you can visit the Michigan Gaming Control Board’s website at https://www.michigan.gov/mgcb.
