How to Win a Mega Millions Lottery Jackpot

If you are thinking of playing the lottery, there is a chance you will win a big jackpot. Mega Millions is currently the third largest jackpot in American history and the winner likely paid $2 to purchase their ticket. If you win, you will receive a lump sum of $780.5 million in cash or payments over the course of 30 years. The winnings will be taxed at a rate of 24% federally and may also have to pay state income taxes, especially if you live in a high-tax state, such as Illinois.

In April 2019, a man named Manuel Franco won a $768 million lottery jackpot. However, his lottery winnings were a mixed bag. After a long battle with gambling addiction and alcohol, Franco died naturally in 2020. He announced his lottery win at a news conference and later went into hiding. In 2021, the Better Business Bureau of Wisconsin issued a warning to people about scammers claiming to be multi-millionaire winners. Thankfully, the jackpot winner is still alive and well and enjoying life to the fullest.

The mega-millions lottery, run by a consortium of twelve U.S. states, changed its jackpot rules three times in twenty-one years. Super-sized jackpots drive lottery sales and get free publicity on newscasts and websites. Making it harder to win the jackpot is a wise decision if you want to increase your chances of winning. In addition, it increases the odds of jackpot carryover, which raises stakes and public interest.