March 31 winning numbers
It’s that time again. Mega Millions players check their tickets after Friday night’s draw.
The Mega Millions jackpot soared to around $355 million, with a cash option of $187.6 million, ahead of Friday’s draw.
The odds of winning a Mega Millions jackpot are incredibly slim at around one in 302 million.
If someone beats the near-impossible odds and wins the lottery game’s top prize on Friday, the $355 million would only be distributed if they choose the annuity option, which spreads the prize over 29 annual installments.
Most lottery winners opt for the one-time lump sum cash payment. The final amount taken home depends on state and federal taxes.
Here’s what you need to know.
Why are lottery jackpots growing so big? Here’s what the experts have to say.
Michigan:She threw her scratch off lottery tickets in the trash. Then realized that she had won $1 million.
Mega Millions Winning Numbers for March 31, 2023
The winning numbers for the Friday night draw were 16, 26, 27, 42, 61, Mega Ball: 23 and Megaplier was 4x.
What are my chances of winning Mega Millions?
While a $355 million jackpot might be tempting, it’s important to note that the odds of hitting the jackpot are extremely slim.
- The odds of winning the jackpot are 302,575,350 to 1.
- The odds of matching all five white balls are 12,607,306 to 1.
Nation:She altered the lottery tickets and kept the winnings. Now the former store employee is sentenced to prison.
How to play Mega Millions?
To enter the Mega Millions game, players choose six numbers – or choose to have the lottery machine generate a random “Easy Pick” or “Quick Pick”:
- Five numbers will range from 1 to 70 (white balls)
- A number can be chosen between 1 and 25 (mega golden ball)
If your ticket matches the six winning numbers in the draw, you will win the jackpot. There are also smaller prizes depending on how many balls your numbers match.
The cost to play Mega Millions is $2 per ticket. You can add the Megaplier for $1, which will increase your potential prize amount up to five times the original prize (excluding the jackpot).
Mega Millions can be played in 45 states, the District of Columbia and the US Virgin Islands.
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Biggest lottery prizes in US history
Here are the biggest lottery prizes in US history, across Mega Millions and Powerball.
- $2.04 billion, Powerball, November 7, 2022: Won in California.
- $1.586 billion, Powerball, January 13, 2016: three winners in California, Florida and Tennessee.
- $1.537 billion, Mega Millions, October 23, 2018: Won in South Carolina.
- $1.348 billion, Mega Millions, Jan 13, 2023: Won in Maine.
- $1.337 billion, Mega Millions, July 29, 2022: Won in Illinois.
- $1.05 billion, Mega Millions, Jan 22, 2021: Won in Michigan.
- $768.4 million, Powerball, March 27, 2019: Won in Wisconsin.
- $758.7 million, Powerball, Aug. 23, 2017: Won in Massachusetts.
- $754.6 million, Powerball, Feb. 6, 2023; Won in Washington.
- $730 million, Powerball, Jan. 20, 2021: Won in Maryland.
USA Today
