Mega Millions Calculator -- 2025 Rules

Introduction

This tool computes the likelihood of winning in the Mega Millions or similar lottery games featuring five standard balls and one additional ball.

The default settings provided reflect the guaranteed prizes for all winning outcomes apart from the jackpot. The jackpot figure represents the minimum amount of $50 million.

The return column indicates the expected winnings relative to the bet placed for each scenario. Essentially, this reveals how valuable a prize is compared to the wager. The overall return value in the bottom right corner illustrates the anticipated return before accounting for taxes, the time value associated with annuity payments, and any sharing of the jackpot.

Rules

The following regulations are in accordance with the rules that took effect on April 5, 2025.

1. The cost of a ticket is $5.
2. Participants will select five White Balls numbered from 1 to 70 and one Mega Ball ranging from 1 to 24.
3. Twice weekly, the Lottery will randomly draw the same quantity of balls from the specified ranges.
4. The payout structure is displayed in the preset values of the calculator provided below.
5. The jackpot originates at $50 million, increasing by a percentage of sales each time there is no winner.
6. At no extra charge, the game will randomly select a 'Megaplier' to enhance winnings.
7. When the Megaplier is activated, all prizes (except the top one) will be multiplied by a randomly determined value.
8. The Megaplier is generated electronically and corresponds to selecting one of 15 options, with the following distribution: 2x: 15 times, 3x: 10 times, 4x: 4 times, 5x: 2 times, 10x: 1 time. This leads to an average multiplier of 3.0.

Calculator

The preset amounts listed represent current prizes as of April 5, 2025. These figures are before the application of the Megaplier.

Largest White Ball
Largest Mega Ball
Cost of ticket
Cost of Megaplier
Average Megaplier

Check if betting the Megaplier:

Event	Pays	Combinations	Probability	Return
5 + PB
5
4 + PB
4
3 + PB
3
2 + PB
2
1 + PB
1
0 + PB
0
Total

Disclaimer : The return values referenced do not include taxes, the time value of annuity payments, nor the impact of jackpot sharing, all of which significantly affect the overall worth. Observations suggest that the relationship between jackpot size and ticket sales is exponential, leading to a substantial reduction in ticket value due to the distribution of the jackpot among winners. In summary, playing Mega Millions is never a wise financial decision.

Lotteries

• California Lottery
• Texas Lottery
• Florida Lottery
• Easy Lotto

Games

• Powerball
• Mega Millions

Related Reading

• Lottery — General page.
• Buy Lotto Online in 2025
• Are Lottery Players Smart? - Are states in the US with more favorable lottery returns experiencing a greater loss per capita compared to those with lesser returns?
• COVID and the Lottery
• The Lottery Report - An In-Depth Analysis of Lottery Outcomes
• The Lottery (Still) Sucks!
• Previously Addressed Questions About Lotteries on Ask the Wizard

Calculators

• Powerball calculator — Determine the odds for the Powerball or any lottery involving five 'white balls' and a 'Power Ball.'
• Pick Six calculator — Analyze the odds for any 'pick six' lottery format.
• SuperLotto Plus — California Lottery game.
• Calculator for Estimating Lottery Ticket Sales for Jackpots — Project ticket sales and calculate the likelihood of a jackpot winner in both the Powerball and Mega Millions.

External Links

• Maryland
• Wikipedia

Written by: Michael Shackleford