It’s not easy to win a lottery jackpot. While one in seventy-four million people have the chance to win, the odds are still astronomical. For instance, the Mega Millions jackpot has a chance of one in 749,398 to win the top prize. But last month, an Illinois resident won $1.3 billion.
It’s possible to win the lottery jackpot if you buy a ticket and match all six numbers. That’s called the Mega Millions winning combination. The Mega Millions jackpot has been rising for more than three months. If you play Mega Millions every day, your odds of winning the top prize are about one in 302.6 million. The previous top prize winner won $20 million. The current jackpot would be the fourth-largest lottery prize won in the U.S.
In case the Jackpot Prize isn’t won, the prize money will rollover. It will be added to the jackpot prize pool for the next drawing. If you’re lucky enough to win the jackpot, you can claim a prize in each category of the prize pool, one per game play. But you have to be quick: you’ll have 180 days to claim all the prizes.
If you win a lottery jackpot, you will need to decide on how you’re going to spend your prize. Some lotteries offer a lump-sum payout while others offer an annuity. A lump sum payment is easier on your budget than annuity payments, but you’ll still have to pay taxes. But annuity payments are more convenient for some people. Moreover, you can leave an annuity to your heirs in your will.