NY Mega Millions Drawing: A Big Hit in 2023
What is the NY Mega Millions Drawing?
The NY Mega Millions drawing is an incredibly popular lottery game that takes place every Tuesday and Friday in New York. The lottery game is based on a five-number selection from one to seventy and a mega ball selection from one to twenty-five. Players can choose their own numbers or have their numbers selected randomly by the automated system. The jackpot starts at $40 million and can reach over $1 billion with the possibility of multiple winners. It is the largest multi-state lottery in the United States and the second-biggest lottery game in the world.
How to Play the NY Mega Millions Drawing
Playing the NY Mega Millions drawing is easy. All you need to do is choose five numbers from one to seventy and one mega ball number from one to twenty-five. Players can purchase tickets from any authorized NY lottery retailer or online. Tickets cost $2 each for a single play. Players can also choose the Megaplier option for an additional $1 per ticket. This will increase the non-jackpot prizes by a multiple of two, three, four, or five, depending on which number is chosen.
Deadlines and Prize Amounts
The NY Mega Millions drawing takes place every Tuesday and Friday at 11:00 PM EST. The deadline to purchase tickets is 7:45 PM EST on the day of the drawing. The jackpot starts at $40 million and can reach over $1 billion with the possibility of multiple winners. The minimum payout for the jackpot is $1 million and the prize amount will depend on the amount of winners. The non-jackpot prizes range from $2 to $1 million.
Odds of Winning
The odds of winning the jackpot in the NY Mega Millions drawing are 1 in 302,575,350. The overall odds of winning any prize are 1 in 24. The odds of winning the non-jackpot prizes range from 1 in 40 for a $2 prize to 1 in 18,492,204 for the $1 million prize. The Megaplier option increases the odds of winning a non-jackpot prize, but does not increase the odds of winning the jackpot.
Taxes and Prize Claiming
Any prizes won in the NY Mega Millions drawing are subject to federal and state taxes. All prizes must be claimed within one year of the drawing date. Prizes of $600 or less can be claimed at any authorized NY lottery retailer. Prizes greater than $600 must be claimed at the New York Lottery Customer Service Center in Schenectady, NY. All claims must be accompanied by a valid ticket and proof of identification.
History of the NY Mega Millions Drawing
The first NY Mega Millions drawing took place on May 17, 2002. The game was created as a result of a cross-state game agreement between the states of New York, Ohio, New Jersey, Illinois, Georgia, and Massachusetts. The game has grown in popularity since then, with more states joining and larger jackpots being offered. In October of 2018, the game changed the matrix from five from fifty-five to five from seventy and the mega ball from one from fifty-six to one from twenty-five.
Big Winners in the NY Mega Millions Drawing
Since its inception, there have been many big winners in the NY Mega Millions drawing. The largest jackpot ever won was in October of 2018 when two winners split a $1.537 billion jackpot. The second-largest jackpot in the game’s history was in March of 2012 when three winners split a $656 million jackpot. There have also been numerous winners of the $1 million prize, including a $1 million winner in June of 2019.
Tips for Playing the NY Mega Millions Drawing
When playing the NY Mega Millions drawing, it’s important to remember to always play responsibly. Set a budget for yourself and stick to it. Also, make sure to check your tickets on a regular basis to make sure you don’t miss out on any potential winnings. Finally, always sign the back of your ticket to ensure that you can claim any prizes you may have won.