History of Mega Millions in Timeline
Mega Millions is a multijurisdictional American lottery game that began on September 6, 1996, initially involving six states: Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Massachusetts, and Virginia. As of June 30, 2023, it's available in 45 states plus the District of Columbia, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Tuesday drawings were added in February 1998. The first Mega Millions drawing was in 2002. The logo includes a gold ball with six stars, symbolizing the game's original participating states.
August 31, 1996: Tickets for The Big Game Sold
On August 31, 1996, tickets for The Big Game began to be sold in Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, and Virginia.
September 6, 1996: First Mega Millions Drawing
On September 6, 1996, the first Mega Millions drawing (originally known as The Big Game) took place with six participating states: Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Massachusetts, and Virginia.
1996: Georgia Lottery Removal
In 1996, the Georgia Lottery was forcibly removed from MUSL.
February 1998: Tuesday Drawing Added
In February 1998, a Tuesday drawing was added to The Big Game due to its growth.
January 1999: Cash Prize Option
Beginning in January 1999, jackpot winners were given the option to receive their prize in cash.
May 1999: New Jersey Joins The Big Game
In May 1999, New Jersey joined The Big Game.
September 11, 2001: Attack on the World Trade Center
Following the September 11, 2001, attack on the World Trade Center, the New York legislature passed legislation to join a multi-jurisdictional lottery game due to fears of revenue loss.
May 15, 2002: Ohio and New York Join The Big Game
On May 15, 2002, Ohio and New York joined The Big Game consortium, when the game was renamed The Big Game Mega Millions.
September 2002: Washington Joins Mega Millions
In September 2002, Washington was the first of three lotteries to join Mega Millions.
2002: The Big Game becomes Mega Millions
In 2002, The Big Game became Mega Millions.
2002: First Mega Millions Drawing
In 2002, the first Mega Millions drawing was held under The Big Game name.
February 2003: Logo Update
Until February 2003, the yellow ball in the new Mega Millions logo continued to read "The Big Game" until it was replaced with six stars representing the original members of the consortium.
December 30, 2003: Elecia Battle Claims Lost Winning Ticket
In January 2004, Elecia Battle claimed she lost the winning ticket for the December 30, 2003, Mega Millions drawing and filed a lawsuit against Rebecca Jemison, who had the ticket.
January 2004: Elecia Battle Admits to False Report
In January 2004, Elecia Battle admitted to lying about losing the winning Mega Millions ticket and was subsequently charged with filing a false police report.
June 24, 2005: California Joining Commemoration
On June 24, 2005, to commemorate California joining Mega Millions, that night's drawing was held in Hollywood, with Carrie Underwood assisting host Glenn Burns for the draw.
November 15, 2005: "The Lucky 7" Jackpot Win
For the November 15, 2005, drawing, a group called "The Lucky 7" held the only jackpot-winning ticket, purchased in Anaheim, California, winning $315 million. They chose the cash option, splitting $175 million before tax was withheld.
2005: California Joins Mega Millions
In 2005, California joined Mega Millions as the last addition before the cross-sell expansion of 2010.
2005: Mega Millions Target of Mailing Scam
In 2005, Mega Millions was the target of a mailing scam. Letters bearing the Mega Millions logo were used in lottery scams to trick people into providing personal financial information by cashing bogus checks.
July 1, 2006: New Jersey Lottery Shutdown
Due to the 2006 New Jersey Government shutdown, the New Jersey Lottery, including Mega Millions, was temporarily closed on July 1, 2006.
March 6, 2007: Record-Breaking Jackpot
On March 6, 2007, the Mega Millions jackpot reached $390 million, which was then the third-largest jackpot in U.S. history. The jackpot was shared by two tickets.
2007: $31 Million Prize Went Unclaimed
In 2007, a $31 million Mega Millions prize went unclaimed in New York. Additionally, several $250,000 prizes went unclaimed in Michigan for 2007 drawings.
2008: Drawings Hosted by John Crow and Carol Blackmon
Since 2008, Mega Millions drawings have been emceed by John Crow and Carol Blackmon of the Georgia Lottery. Crow often starts drawings with phrases like "Let's see if I can make you a millionaire tonight," while Blackmon typically begins with "Get out your tickets."
October 13, 2009: Cross-Selling Agreement
On October 13, 2009, the Mega Millions consortium and Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL) reached an agreement in principle to cross-sell Mega Millions and Powerball in American lottery jurisdictions.
October 2009: Agreement Between Mega Millions and MUSL
In October 2009, an agreement between Mega Millions and MUSL allowed all U.S. lotteries to offer both games.
January 31, 2010: Cross-Selling Expansion
On January 31, 2010, 23 Powerball members began selling Mega Millions tickets for their first drawing on February 2, 2010. Likewise, 10 Mega Millions members began selling Powerball tickets for their first drawing the next day.
February 2, 2010: First Mega Millions Drawing
On February 2, 2010, 23 Powerball members began selling Mega Millions tickets for their first drawing.
March 1, 2010: Montana Joins Mega Millions
On March 1, 2010, Montana was the first jurisdiction to add either game (Mega Millions) after the cross-sell expansion.
March 13, 2010: New Jersey Powerball Win
On March 13, 2010, New Jersey became the first Mega Millions participant to produce a jackpot-winning ticket for Powerball after joining that game.
March 20, 2010: Nebraska Joins Mega Millions
On March 20, 2010, Nebraska joined Mega Millions.
March 28, 2010: Oregon Joins Mega Millions
On March 28, 2010, Oregon joined Mega Millions.
April 16, 2010: Ohio Joins Powerball
On April 16, 2010, Ohio joined Powerball.
April 18, 2010: Arizona Joins Mega Millions
On April 18, 2010, Arizona joined Mega Millions.
May 9, 2010: Maine Joins Mega Millions
On May 9, 2010, Maine joined Mega Millions.
May 16, 2010: Colorado and South Dakota Join Mega Millions
On May 16, 2010, Colorado and South Dakota joined Mega Millions.
May 28, 2010: North Carolina Mega Millions Win
On May 28, 2010, North Carolina became the first Powerball member to produce a jackpot-winning Mega Millions ticket after joining Mega Millions.
September 12, 2010: Megaplier Prize Increase
Beginning September 12, 2010, Mega Millions tickets bought with the Megaplier option automatically won $1 million if the five white balls were matched (excluding the Mega Ball).
October 2010: U.S. Virgin Islands Joins Mega Millions
In October 2010, the U.S. Virgin Islands joined Mega Millions.
2010: Georgia Lottery Returns to MUSL
In 2010, the Georgia Lottery returned to MUSL with the cross-selling expansion.
January 4, 2011: Mega Millions Drawing Similar to "Lost" Numbers
The Mega Millions drawing on January 4, 2011, gained attention due to its similarity to "The Numbers" from the ABC drama series Lost. The first three numbers (4, 8, 15) and the mega ball (42) matched the sequence used by character Hugo "Hurley" Reyes in a similar lottery game.
January 2011: Megaplier Availability Update
By January 2011, all Mega Millions lotteries, except for California, offered the Megaplier option.
July 1, 2011: Minnesota Lottery Shutdown
A similar shutdown to New Jersey's occurred in Minnesota on July 1, 2011, affecting the lottery.
November 2011: Louisiana Joins Mega Millions
In November 2011, Louisiana joined Mega Millions.
November 16, 2011: Louisiana Joins Mega Millions
On November 16, 2011, Louisiana joined Mega Millions.
January 2012: Powerball Price Change
In January 2012, Mega Millions' rival Powerball was altered, including a price increase to $2 per play.
January 24, 2012: Previous Jackpot Win
Before March 30, 2012, the previous Mega Millions jackpot was won on January 24, 2012, and at least $1.5 billion was spent on Mega Millions for drawings following this win.
March 30, 2012: Mega Millions Reaches $640 Million Jackpot
On March 30, 2012, the Mega Millions jackpot reached $640 million (annuitized) or $462 million (cash value). Brisk ticket sales pushed the jackpot values higher after it was initially estimated at $476 million. Three jackpot-winning tickets were confirmed in Illinois, Kansas, and Maryland.
May 15, 2013: Florida Joins Mega Millions
On May 15, 2013, Florida joined Mega Millions.
May 2013: Florida Joins Mega Millions
In May 2013, Florida joined Mega Millions.
October 18, 2013: Final Mega Millions Drawing
On October 18, 2013, the final 5/56 + 1/46 Mega Millions drawing was held, with a jackpot that was not won.
October 19, 2013: Mega Millions Format Change
On October 19, 2013, Mega Millions' previous format began, with its first drawing three days later. The current version of Mega Millions involves drawing five white balls from a pool of 70, and one gold-colored "MegaBall" from a separate pool of 25. A player must match all six numbers to win the jackpot.
October 22, 2013: Revised Mega Millions Format
On October 22, 2013, the first drawing under the revised 5/75 + 1/15 format occurred.
December 17, 2013: Eighth-Largest Mega Millions Jackpot
On December 17, 2013, the Mega Millions jackpot reached $648 million. Two winning tickets were sold, one each in California and Georgia.
2013: Wyoming Lottery
In 2013, Wyoming became the 44th state to establish a lottery.
2013: Prizes and Odds
Prizes and odds (2013–2017 version) based on a $1 play.
2013: Prize Structure Allocation
The 2013–2017 version allocated about 68 percent of the prize pool towards the jackpot.
January 3, 2014: California Ticket Claimed
On January 3, 2014, the holder of the winning Mega Millions ticket from California claimed their prize.
2014: Mega Millions Removed From WGN America
In late 2014, Mega Millions drawings were removed from WGN America when the channel ceased carrying WGN's newscasts.
July 8, 2016: Tenth-Largest Mega Millions Jackpot
On July 8, 2016, a Mega Millions drawing resulted in a $540 million jackpot. One ticket from Indiana won the jackpot, and the winner selected the cash option.
October 2017: Current Mega Millions Format
In October 2017, the current Mega Millions format began. Plays are $2 per game. The Megaplier, if activated, multiplies nonjackpot prizes.
October 27, 2017: Jackpot Winning Odds
The odds of winning or sharing a Mega Millions jackpot (October 19, 2013 – October 27, 2017) were one in about 258.9 million.
October 28, 2017: New Mega Millions Regulations
On October 28, 2017, new regulations for Mega Millions began, establishing a minimum advertised jackpot of $20 million paid in 30 graduated yearly installments, increasing 5% each year, unless the cash option is chosen.
October 31, 2017: Price Increase for Mega Millions
On October 28, 2017, the price of a Mega Millions play doubled to $2, the first drawing under the current price point was October 31, 2017. The Mega Millions double matrix changed, and the starting jackpot became $40 million.
2017: New Prize Structure
In 2017, the new prize structure allocates roughly 75 percent of the prize pool for the jackpot, to facilitate the new Just the Jackpot option.
2017: Mega Millions Price Change
In 2017, the price of a Mega Millions play stayed the same.
2017: Prizes and Odds
Prizes and odds (2013–2017 version) based on a $1 play.
March 30, 2018: Eleventh-Largest Mega Millions Jackpot
On March 30, 2018, a Mega Millions drawing resulted in a $533 million jackpot. One ticket from New Jersey won, and it was sold at Riverdale Lukoil South Gas Station.
July 24, 2018: Ninth-Largest Jackpot Won
On July 24, 2018, a Mega Millions drawing resulted in a $543 million jackpot, making it the ninth-largest at the time. The winning ticket was held by 11 co-workers at a Wells Fargo branch in San Jose, who chose to split the $320 million cash lump sum.
August 2018: Mississippi Lottery Bill
In August 2018, a bill establishing a lottery in Mississippi was passed.
October 23, 2018: Second Largest Mega Millions Jackpot Won
On October 23, 2018, the second largest Mega Millions jackpot, worth $1.537 billion, was won by a single ticket sold in South Carolina.
March 5, 2019: Winner Claimed Anonymously
On March 5, 2019, the winner of the $1.537 billion Mega Millions jackpot from South Carolina claimed their prize anonymously, as allowed under state law.
November 25, 2019: Mississippi Lottery
Mississippi's lottery began on November 25, 2019.
2019: Lottery Tickets in Mississippi
In 2019, Mississippi began selling lottery tickets.
January 2020: Mega Millions and Powerball Offering Update
As of January 2020, 47 lotteries were offering Mega Millions and Powerball.
January 2020: Just the Jackpot Wager Update
As of January 2020, there has yet to be a jackpot winner from a Just the Jackpot wager.
January 30, 2020: Mississippi Joins Mega Millions
On January 30, 2020, Mississippi joined Mega Millions.
April 7, 2020: Mega Millions temporarily resets starting jackpot due to COVID-19
On April 7, 2020, the Mega Millions starting jackpot amount was temporarily reduced from $40 million to $20 million with at least a $2 million rollover for each drawing without a jackpot winner. This decision was made due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, aiming to enforce social distancing, discourage crowding, and account for lower interest rates.
July 29, 2022: Fourth-Largest Mega Millions Jackpot Won
On July 29, 2022, the fourth-largest Mega Millions jackpot, worth $1.34 billion, was won by a ticket sold in Illinois.
2022: Adria Wofford Replaces Sabrina Cupit
In 2022, Sabrina Cupit was replaced by Adria Wofford as the secondary host of the Mega Millions drawings.
January 13, 2023: Third-Largest Mega Millions Jackpot Won
On January 13, 2023, the third-largest Mega Millions jackpot, worth $1.35 billion, was won by a ticket sold in Maine.
June 30, 2023: Game Offering Update
As of June 30, 2023, Mega Millions is offered in 45 states, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
August 8, 2023: Mega Millions' Largest Jackpot Won
On August 8, 2023, the largest Mega Millions jackpot of $1.602 billion was won in Neptune Beach, Florida.
2023: Adria Wofford Promoted
In 2023, Adria Wofford was promoted to co-host alongside John Crow for Mega Millions drawings, while Carol Blackmon became the back-up host.
March 26, 2024: Sixth-Largest Mega Millions Jackpot Won
On March 26, 2024, the sixth-largest Mega Millions jackpot, worth $1.13 billion, was won by a ticket sold in New Jersey.
October 7, 2024: Mega Millions announces new format change
On October 7, 2024, Mega Millions announced a new format set to take effect in April 2025. The cost per game will increase to $5, including the Megaplier. A 10 times multiplier will be introduced, raising the maximum second-prize win to $10 million.
December 27, 2024: Fifth-Largest Mega Millions Jackpot Won
On December 27, 2024, the fifth-largest Mega Millions jackpot, valued at $1.22 billion, was won by a ticket sold in Cottonwood, California. Additionally, five other tickets won the secondary prize, with two sold in California and one each in Arizona, Texas, and Missouri.
April 2025: Price Increase
In April 2025, each game will cost $5 to play.
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