The popularity of the Mega Millions Lottery game can be attributed to a simple fact: The jackpots are higher and they climb much faster! Because it is a multi-state game, the jackpots and other prizes are much higher than single state games. The Mega Millions jackpot starts at $12 million and other prizes range from $2 all the way up to $250,000. In fact, more people play Mega Millions than any other multi-state game. Because of this, the jackpots climb to higher levels at a faster rate than any other lottery game in the country!

Mega Millions Benefits You and Your State

Not only is Mega Millions an exciting and profitable game, it is also beneficial to players and their states. Fifty percent of the money wagered on Mega Millions goes back to the players as prizes. A whopping thirty-five percent of the ticket sales goes back to participating states in order to support public education, public health, college scholarships, and all other programs participating states choose to support. For example, since 1974, the Ohio Lottery has provided more than $15 billion to public education. In 2007 alone, the Virginia Lottery contributed $437.1 million to public education. The Mega Millions game helps to make these state contributions possible.

History of Mega Millions

The Big Game, now known as Mega Millions, began on August 31, 1996. In the first drawing held in September of 1996 6 different states participated: Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, and Virginia. The Big Game got its new name in May of 2002 and with this new name came two new member states: New York and Ohio. By 2005 three more states, Washington, Texas and California, joined the game and made it the country's most widely played and popular multi-state jackpot game. Not only is Mega Millions the most widely played game, but it also holds the record for the largest jackpot ever paid out: $390 million!

How to Buy Mega Millions Lottery Tickets

When the Mega Millions lottery jackpot is high the lines can be extremely long. You can avoid the long lines and save yourself some time by logging onto the official state websites. These sites explain how to purchase tickets, and often times tickets can be purchased online so you can play most state lotteries from the comfort of your own home. You can also refer to official state websites for custom lottery news. Many sites offer lottery number generators to help make your lottery number picking easier for you. If you would like to purchase your tickets in person, you can also visit a local lottery terminal. No matter how you choose to purchase your tickets, or which tickets you choose to buy, you're bound to have some fun!