New York… the city that never sleeps. That’s how Sinatra described it, and there’s no doubt he was right. Here, you can buy whatever you need at 2 am or hop on the subway at any time and travel around the city until the sun comes up.
But beyond this 24/7 city life, there’s another thing that never stops: the dreams of its residents. And what better dream than hitting the Mega Millions jackpot in New York?
If you live in the Big Apple, you’ve probably heard of Mega Millions. You’ve likely come across these gigantic jackpots even if you’re not a regular lottery player.
And let me tell you something…New York, with its unstoppable energy, is the perfect place to chase that millionaire dream.
Can you imagine winning a prize as big as a skyscraper?
Well, if you want to try your lucky, here’s everything you need to know how to play Mega Millions in New York and win the grand prize.
How to Play Mega Millions in New York
To play Mega Millions in New York, you must select five numbers from 1 to 70 and one Mega Ball number from 1 to 25.
There are two ways to choose your numbers: you can you can pick them yourself, or if you’re in a rush or just want to leave it to chance, you can choose the Quick Pick option. With Quick Pick, the machine randomly selects your six Mega Millions numbers.
But if you’re looking for an easier and more personalized way to pick your lottery numbers, try Clover. Clover is our AI-powered chatbot, trained with knowledge from cultures, disciplines, and religions around the world helping you choose numbers that feel meaningful to you.
Each Mega Millions ticket costs $2, and the drawings are every Tuesday and Friday at 11 pm ET.
That’s the basics of playing Mega Millions!
Mega Millions Extra Feauters in New York
Now, in New York, you’ve got a few extra ways to increase your chances of winning a Mega Millions prize.
A favorite of Mega Millions players is the Megaplier. For just an extra dollar, you can add this extra option to your ticket.
But what’s so special about it? Well, Megaplier can multiply your non-jackpot prizes up to 5 times.
Note that this only applies to the non-jackpot prizes – it doesn’t increase the jackpot itself!
But if you’re all about the big wins and the jackpot only, then the Just the Jackpot option is for you. This gives you two chances to win the jackpot.
Luckily, New York is one of the few states that offers this option, so you can add it to your Mega Millions ticket for an extra dollar.
Ok, now let’s say you’ve got your lucky numbers – the ones that always seem to bring you luck – and you want to play them every time.
Do you need to buy a new ticket for the same number every time? Sounds like a hassle.
Not to worry! Every problem has a solution, and in this case, you’ve got two options:
The first is the Play it Again option, which allows you to replay your numbers for the next draw. All you have to do is take your ticket to a retailer within 30 days to buy an identical ticket for the next draw for the same price.
If you want to keep your numbers for a whole month, you can choose the Multi-Draw option, which allows you to play up to 26 consecutive draws.
Mega Millions Prizes and Odds
Now that you know how to play Mega Millions in New York, let’s get to the exciting part: how much can you win?
Let’s start with the jackpot. The Mega Millions jackpot starts at $20 million and increases with every drawing that does not have a winner. The rate of increase depends on ticket sales.
The largest Mega Millions jackpot ever won was a staggering $1.6 billion, won by a lucky player in Florida in August 2023.
Is it hard to win a Mega Millions jackpot?
Well… we can’t lie – it’s pretty tough. People often compare the odds of winning to being struck by lightning… which is much more likely to happen!
You can learn More: What are the odds of winning the lottery compared to other events?
The odds of winning the Mega Millions jackpot are 1 in 302.6 million. Yes, the odds are low, but it’s not impossible to win, especially in New York, as you’ll soon see!
And don’t forget that the jackpot isn’t the only prize you can win in Mega Millions. There are eight additional prize levels. These prizes range from $2 to $1 million, depending on how many numbers you match.
Even just matching the Mega Ball will get you your ticket investment back.
Mega Millions Prizes and Odds
| Match | Prize | Odds |
|---|---|---|
| Five numbers + The Mega Ball | Jackpot | 1 in 302,575,350 |
| Five numbers | $1,000,000 | 1 in 12,607,306 |
| Four numbers + The Mega Ball | $10,000 | 1 in 931,001 |
| Four numbers | $500 | 1 in 38,792 |
| Three numbers + The Mega Ball | $200 | 1 in 14,547 |
| Three numbers | $10 | 1 in 606 |
| Two numbers + The Mega Ball | $10 | 1 in 693 |
| One number + The Mega Ball | $4 | 1 in 89 |
| The Mega Ball | $2 | 1 in 37 |
But wait, these aren’t the final prize amounts! Remember, with the Megaplier, you can multiply your non-jackpot prizes up to 5 times! So you could win up to $5 million.
Did Anyone Win the Mega Millions in New York?
Oh, let me tell you… When it comes to Mega Millions luck, New York definitely takes the most significant share!
New Yorkers have claimed 43 Mega Millions jackpots, making it the state with the most jackpot wins in the game’s history!
See why I say New York is the luckiest state?
But to give you a better idea of just how much luck flows through the Big Apple, here’s a list of the 10 biggest Mega Millions jackpots won in New York.
Maybe it’ll inspire you to try and be the next big winner!
- $483 million , April 14, 2023 – won by Johnnie Taylor
- $437 million, January 1, 2019 – won by New Life 2019, LLC
- $431 million, September 21, 2021 – won by Goodtimez LLC
- $326 million, November 4, 2014 – won by Harold Diamond
- $319 million, March 25, 2011 – won by seven coworkers
- $208 million, December 27, 2011 – won by Daniel Bruckner
- $169 million, January 8, 2016 – won by Nancy Viola
- $165 million, December 22, 2009 – won by Richard and Mary Morrison
- $128 million, March 8, 2022 – won by Herman Kahan
- $126 million, February 27, 2015 – won by Tammy Pratt of
New York Mega Millions Winning Numbers
So you decided to play the New York Mega Millions – great! Now it’s time to see if your numbers match the winning numbers.
To help you, here are the results from the last 30 Mega Millions drawings. Double-check them – you never know, you could be the next Mega Millions winner in New York!
| Date of the Drawings | Winning numbers | Mega Ball | Megaplier | Jackpot |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 03/18/25 | 27-28-31-32-33 | 24 | 3x | $301 M |
| 03/14/25 | 3-17-38-42-70 | 1 | 3x | $277 M |
| 03/11/25 | 1-19-26-38-69 | 15 | 3x | $256 M |
| 03/07/25 | 8-20-48-58-60 | 7 | 3x | $233 M |
| 03/04/25 | 14-19-47-52-70 | 6 | 2x | $215 M |
| 02/28/25 | 9-19-30-35-66 | 16 | 3x | $197 M |
| 02/25/25 | 4-8-11-32-52 | 13 | 2x | $181 M |
| 02/21/25 | 1-13-28-37-46 | 10 | 2x | $165 M |
| 02/18/25 | 1-20-25-58-61 | 22 | 2x | $145 M |
| 02/14/25 | 11-19-31-49-56 | 16 | 3x | $129 M |
| 02/11/25 | 7-30-39-41-70 | 13 | 3x | $110 M |
| 02/07/25 | 4-24-32-41-55 | 16 | 2x | $94 M |
| 02/04/25 | 14-24-31-53-54 | 1 | 3x | $77 M |
| 01/31/25 | 9-29-48-56-63 | 2 | 2x | $59 M |
| 01/28/25 | 10-19-31-47-56 | 6 | 5x | $44 M |
| 01/24/25 | 8-12-43-52-62 | 18 | 2x | $28 M |
| 01/21/25 | 27-30-56-64-65 | 22 | 4x | $20 M |
| 01/17/25 | 8-10-37-54-69 | 22 | 3x | $112 M |
| 01/14/25 | 4-14-35-49-62 | 6 | 3x | $95 M |
| 01/10/25 | 9-23-39-65-66 | 22 | 3x | $77 M |
| 01/07/25 | 20-24-33-39-48 | 18 | 2x | $62 M |
| 01/03/25 | 20-42-46-59-69 | 19 | 4x | $42 M |
| 12/31/24 | 13-22-27-29-35 | 1 | 2x | $20 M |
| 12/27/24 | 3-7-37-49-55 | 6 | 3x | $1.22 B |
| 12/24/24 | 11-14-38-45-46 | 3 | 3x | $1 B |
| 12/20/24 | 2-20-51-56-67 | 19 | 2x | $862 M |
| 12/17/24 | 56-66-67-68-69 | 18 | 4x | $760 M |
| 12/13/24 | 36-43-52-58-65 | 16 | 3x | $695 M |
| 12/10/24 | 12-14-26-48-52 | 21 | 5x | $619 M |
| 12/06/24 | 16-21-33-39-45 | 24 | 2x | $579 M |
| 12/03/24 | 52-60-61-66-67 | 23 | 4x | $541 M |
How to Claim a Lottery Prize in NY
First and foremost, in New York, you have one year after the drawing to claim your prizes for games like Mega Millions. Remembering this deadline is important because if you miss it, you lose your prize. So stay alert!
You can claim prizes up to $600 at any authorized lottery retailer in New York. If you win over $600, you’ll need to go to a New York Lottery Customer Service Center, Prize Claim Center, or you can claim your prize by mail.
FAQs
Can I Buy NY Lottery Tickets Online?
No. Unfortunately, you can’t buy lottery tickets online in New York. However, the New York Lottery offers online subscriptions for LOTTO, Mega Millions, and Cash4Life.
When Will Mega Millions Tickets Stop Being Sold in New York?
You can buy your Mega Millions tickets up until one hour before the drawing, which is until 10 pm ET.
How Do I Check My Mega Millions Numbers?
If you download Lottonia, you don’t have to worry about checking your numbers. Immediately after the drawing, Lottonia will send you a notification with your results. So if you win, you’ll be the first to know!
Can You Remain Anonymous If You Win the NY Lottery?
According to the New York Lottery’s official website, “Lottery prizes are public funds, so we owe it to all of our players to disclose the names of our winners. If you win a prize, your name and city of residence may become public information”.
How Long Does it Take to Receive My NY Lottery Winnings?
Prizes up to $600 can be claimed quickly at any participating lottery retailer. However, the process takes a little longer for larger prizes, like the Mega Millions jackpot. It can take 6 to 8 weeks to receive your winnings.
Does NY Tax Lottery Winnings?
Yes, New York Lottery prizes are taxable. You’ll have to pay both federal and state taxes on your winnings. In fact, New York has the highest percentage for lottery state taxes, coming in at 10.9%.
Learn More: How Lottery Winning are Taxed?
Summing Up…
So, ready to try your luck? You could be the next Mega Millions winner in New York! If you decide to play, don’t forget to share your experience with us.
And if you have any other questions about how to play, feel free to leave a comment below.
See you next time… And good luck!