Those who enjoy playing Powerball can step it up by taking a ticket for Megaball PA. For years after Powerball hit the national scene, six US states added a new game that offered a chance of winning even bigger prizes, Mega Ball.
In May 2002, the game rebranded as Mega Millions. The first draw under this new name saw a player from Illinois walk away with a whopping $28 million jackpot. Since then, the game has expanded and is now offered in 45 states, of which Pennsylvania is one. So, let’s take a closer look at Mega Ball in PA, including how to play and how to claim your winnings.
One of the greatest things about playing Mega Ball in Pennsylvania is that it is relatively straightforward, and taking a ticket only takes a few minutes.
The game features two pools of numbers. The first pool has numbers from 1 to 70, while the second pool has numbers from 1 to 25. Players must select six numbers in total, five from the first pool and one from the second pool, which is the Mega Ball number.
For example, 3, 17, 21, 45, 68 & 5 (Mega Ball)
Each week, the Megaball is played out on a Tuesday and Friday at 11 pm. Here, a random number generator software applied to a computer selects five numbers from pool one and one number from pool two as the winning numbers for that particular draw. A computer is used to select these numbers to ensure the outcome is completely random and fair.
The Megaball jackpot begins at a generous $40 million. For a player to win this value, they must have matched all six winning numbers picked by the computer. Players with five matching numbers win a lesser amount, and so it goes.
However, if no one holds the matching numbers and wins the jackpot, this value rolls over and grows by at least $5 million each time. This increased jackpot is then offered as the winnings for the next Megaball draw. The jackpot will continue to roll over until someone wins.
A Megaball ticket costs $2. However, if a player chooses to add on the Megaplier, this will cost an extra dollar. Here, all non-jackpot prizes can be multiplied by two, three, four, or five, depending on the Megaplier drawn for that specific draw.
While the odds of winning the PA Lottery Mega Ball jackpot are a slim 1 in 302,575,350, you have a 1 in 24 chance of winning one of the nine prizes overall, which are, in our opinion, much greater odds and make taking a ticket worth it. Additionally, these odds remain the same irrespective of the jackpot prize offered. Below, we provide a table outlining the winnings and the odds of walking away with each prize.
When playing PA Lottery Mega Ball numbers, players can opt to also play using the Megaplier, which multiplies the value a player could end up winning. To include the Megaplier option on your ticket, you’ll need to tick or select that option when choosing your numbers. Doing this applies the Megaplier to all numbers or selections on your payslip.
How the Megaplier works is before the Megaball winning numbers are selected, a number between two and five is randomly drawn. This value indicates the Megaplier number for that particular draw.
If you choose to add the Megaplier number to your Megaball numbers and you win a prize, the original prize value will be multiplied by the Megaplier number to give you your final payout. However, keep in mind that there isn’t just one ball numbered two to five in the Megaplier number pool. Instead, to make it more challenging for a 5x Megaplier to be drawn, the balls are added in the following quantities, totaling 15 balls in all:
Below, you can check out the table we compiled, highlighting the Megaplier values, payouts, and odds.
(1 in 3 chance)
(1 in 2.5 chance)
(1 in 5 chance)
(1 in 15 chance)
Players who want to play the Pennsylvania Mega Ball have several ways to do so.
Those who wish to select unique numbers of their own choosing can purchase a ticket by completing a play slip at one of the nearly 10,000 licensed Pennsylvania Lottery outlets or retailers.
Alternatively, players who are happy to go with random numbers can have a lottery terminal select their numbers for them by opting for an Easy Pick or Quick Pick ticket.
Players who would rather obtain their tickets from the comfort of home can do so by purchasing their tickets online. In 2020, the PA iLottery launched, enabling players to buy Megaball and Powerball tickets online. Here, players can either select their own numbers or take the Quick Pick option.
However, it is essential to note that while players can purchase Mega Ball PA tickets from the PA iLottery site, they won’t be able to purchase tickets by visiting the best online casinos in PA, even though these sites offer lottery-style gaming like Keno.
The state lottery has introduced an app to make it easier for players to purchase tickets and check their PA Lottery Mega Ball numbers. The PA Lottery App offers a downloadable version for iOS and Android, which players can easily access on the Apple AppStore or the Google PlayStore.
When browsing this app, PA players will discover it comes with a handy ticket checker feature that makes it quick and easy to see if they hold a winning ticket.
To use this feature, begin by selecting the “Scan Ticket” option. Then, aim your device’s camera at the large barcode on the corner of the ticket. The app will then automatically bring up the results of your ticket and highlight whether or not you’re a winner and how much you have won. This feature doesn’t only work for Mega Ball but also for PA Powerball, Keno, Draw Games, Fast Plays, and scratchcards.
Purchasing a Mega Ball Pennsylvania ticket online is relatively straightforward. Below, we take you through the steps using our short guide:
Begin by launching the Pennsylvania Lottery website on your device. You can search for the site in your internet browser, or click one of the links provided in this guide.
Next, click the green “Join” button to open the registration page. Then, complete the registration form that opens. Once you have created your profile, you can click “Create Account.
You’ll need to verify your PA lottery account by clicking a link in an email the Lottery will send to you. Once you have done this, you can sign back into your lottery account.
Now, click the “Play Online” tab at the top of the screen. Then, from the drop-down menu select the “Buy Draw Games” option. On the page that opens, select the “Mega Millions” option. Next, pick your numbers or opt for a Quick Pick. Next, you can purchase your ticket.
Select the payment method that works best for you (the Lottery accepts several including Visa, MasterCard, Discover, PayNearMe, Instant ACH, and Play+). Then add in the value, and follow the prompts to make your payment. The lottery will then issue you with a ticket.
Players can check their PA Mega Ball numbers using several methods. In addition to using the app, they can head to one of the retailers where PA Lottery tickets are sold to have their Megaball tickets scanned in person.
Alternatively, players can watch the live broadcast of the bi-weekly draws to see the winning numbers that are picked and then check their tickets manually themselves.
These draws happen every Tuesday and Friday at 11 PM EST. However, there is a cutoff time to purchase tickets, which is typically 9:59 PM EST, although retailers have the option to close sales earlier if they wish.
Players can watch the draw on several television stations, including:
In addition to checking their tickets against the results show on TV, players can also head to the Pennsylvania Lottery website, to take a look at the latest numbers there.
Players playing Mega Ball Pennsylvania will find that those with winning numbers that include the Mega Ball value have a higher payout. However, it is important to note that a player can only win the jackpot by accurately predicting the Mega Ball number. So, since having the correct Mega Ball number is the key to higher payouts, taking the time to predict this value is essential.
Since the Megaball jackpot is now nationwide, players across the US are purchasing tickets to win. Because the jackpot value is based on the rollover and the number of tickets purchased for the draw, the jackpot value can often be in the upper 100 million dollar range.
For instance, in South Carolina in 2018, a single player bought a Megaball ticket that would win them a whopping $1,537 billion. Below we offer you a table of some of the highest jackpot wins for the game:
Depending on the value of your winning ticket, claiming a payout for the Pennsylvania Lottery Mega Ball is relatively straightforward. However, it is important to note that players with tickets worth $600 or more must complete a claims form for tax purposes. Players can find these forms at Lottery retailers or at the local Lottery offices in PA.
Players with tickets valued at less than $2,500 can claim their winnings instantly at a local Mega Ball Pennsylvania Lottery retailer. However, if the retailer doesn’t have the cash available, players can always head to another store to claim their prize or make a claim by mail.
In contrast, players holding tickets with a value of $2,500 and above must submit their ticket directly to a Lottery office in PA. Here, the player will need to present their claim form and their signed ticket in person or by mail.
Those who are lucky enough to have all six numbers match up and win themselves the jackpot will need to take a different route to claim their winnings. In this case, a player must take their signed winning ticket to the Lottery headquarters, located in Middleton, Pennsylvania. Once the facility has established that the ticket is valid, players can choose to receive their prize as a single lump-sum payout or as an annuity.
In contrast to a single payment, the annuity sees the Lottery payout the winner their prize in 30 graduated amounts over a 29-year period. These payments increase annually by five percent until the final (30th) payment.
As an example, if a player won a $100 million jackpot, they would receive an initial payment of $1,5 million. This value would increase by five percent each year until the final payout, which would have an approximate value of $6.2 million.
So, how long does it take to receive a payout? Typically, a Megaball PA payout check will reach a player in four to six weeks once Lottery officials have received the claim and validated the ticket and the payout. However, claims made in December are usually delayed until January of the following year to keep payments with the same tax year.
Players residing out-of-state in possession of a winning ticket can claim prizes via mail. Here, a player must fill out the back of their winning ticket, sign it, and make a copy of it, both front and back, to keep as security. Additionally, if the prize has a value of $600 or more, players will also need to submit a claim form with the ticket.
Players can then mail the original, signed ticket and their claim form to:
Pennsylvania Lottery ATTN: CLAIMS 1200 Fulling Mill Road, Suite 1 Middletown, PA 17057
While it sometimes happens that players take a PA Mega Ball ticket and then forget that they have purchased it, players often have their tickets on-hand on draw nights. Either way, it is always best to check whether you have a winning ticket as promptly as possible. This is because these tickets come with an expiry period. Mega Ball Pennsylvania tickets have an expiry date of one year from the date of the draw taking place.
However, if you find yourself in possession of a ticket worth more than $100, you cannot claim your prize at a retailer after 180 days. Instead, the player will need to submit these to the Lottery office with a claim form to redeem their prize.
In some cases, a player taking a Pennsylvania Mega Ball ticket may find that their ticket is a winning ticket. Still, because the game is played across 45 states nationwide, their ticket may not be the only winning ticket. For instance, perhaps a player in Maine and one in Indiana also have drawn the same numbers. As a result, they also hold winning tickets. In this case, after confirming the validity of all three tickets, the Lottery will split the jackpot equally between all three players.
Playing Megaball in PA is always a lot of fun. However, if you or someone you know is battling a gambling problem, then contacting one of the resources below is worthwhile.
Problem Gambling Helpline: 1-800-426-2537
National Council on Problem Gambling
Council on Compulsive Gambling Pennsylvania
