How can i play the mega millions online

LANSING, MI -- As the hype surrounding the $1.28 billion Mega Millions jackpot for Friday, July 29 hits a fevered pitch, millions of lottery players are scooping up tickets for their shot at a staggering amount of money.

However, if you’re not someone who plays the lottery often or, in some cases, ever before, knowing what to do, how to play and where you can get tickets can be a little intimidating. Especially if there’s a line of experienced players behind you at the local gas station and you have no idea what you’re doing.

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Not to worry, we’re here to show exactly how to play the game, what you need to do to win and how you can buy tickets without leaving your house.

First, the basics...

Mega Millions is a multi-state lottery game that is played in 45 states, Washington D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Players must select five white numbers that range from 1-70 and a single gold number between 1-25. If you match all five white numbers and the gold ball you win the grand prize. You can also win prizes for matching as few as one white ball and the gold ball or you can win or money back by just matching the gold ball. The prizes get larger depending on the combination of matches you make.

A full prize table can be found here.

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Each ticket with a set of numbers -- five white and one gold -- costs $2. So five sets would total $10. You can also add the “multiplier” option for $1 extra per ticket which guarantees to multiply your winnings by anywhere from double to 10 times the amount if you win. Meaning a $10 win can become $30 if you play the multiplier and the 3x option comes up.

It’s worth noting that the multiple does not apply to the grand prize, so you cannot win the $1.28 billion jackpot and multiply it.

Mega Millions drawings take place at 11 p.m. EST every Tuesday and Friday. In Michigan, you can purchase tickets for the drawing until 10:45 p.m. There are more than 10,500 lottery retail locations in Michigan and tickets can be purchased at gas stations, convenience stores, restaurants and more.

But even if you don’t have the time or the resources to get to a store to buy your tickets, here in Michigan you can also purchase them online through the Michigan Lottery website. To do so, you simply need to create an account, add your payment information, find the game you want to play and buy the tickets.

To create an account, visit the website and click “register” near the top of the page. From there you enter your email address, name, birthdate, social security number and other information that the state will use to verify your age/identity and help them contact you in case you win a large prize.

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Once you’ve created your account, you can deposit money via credit/debit cards, paypal, online bank transfer and more. The minimum deposit is $10.

After the money is in your account, you can search for Mega Millions and the system will help you get your tickets. You can choose your own numbers or use the autofill option and a set of computer generated numbers will be selected for you.

From there, add those tickets to your cart and checkout, your tickets are ready and you can begin daydreaming about what you’re going to do with your newfound wealth.

For the latest on Michigan Lottery, check out the official Michigan Lottery site, which also offers more information on instant tickets, raffles and other lottery games.

The last players from Michigan to win a Mega Millions or Powerball jackpot is the Wolverine FLL lottery club which claimed a $1.05 billion jackpot in March 2021. With their winnings, the group plans to give back to the community.

And while they were lucky winners, it’s smart for players to check their tickets immediately as a winner worth $1 million sold in Warren last year went unclaimed. The money instead went to the state’s School Aid Fund.

The jackpot has grown for several months with no one winning the grand prize since April. Mounting ticket sales put the jackpot over $1 billion after Tuesday’s drawing.

While most people in the country have a lottery retailer within a few miles of their home, Mega Millions tickets are not sold in every state. Five U.S. states – Alabama, Alaska, Hawaii, Nevada and Utah – do not participate in the lottery game.

And while residents of Alabama, Nevada and Utah can cross state borders to purchase a ticket, those who live in Alaska and Hawaii cannot, leading some to ask if they can purchase tickets online.

In a handful of states where Mega Millions tickets are sold in retail venues, you can also purchase tickets online by registering with the lotteries in those states.

In Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan, New Hampshire, North Carolina, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and the District of Columbia, you may buy Mega Millions tickets online. In New York, you may buy tickets online by purchasing a subscription with the state’s lottery.

According to the Mega Millions website, in “most cases, you must be residents of these jurisdictions (states) to participate in these purchase options, but in all cases you must be physically within their borders when you make any online ticket purchases.”

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