$1.15 Billion Mega Millions Jackpot On Friday: How To Play In GA

GEORGIA — One lucky Mega Millions player in Georgia could ring in the new year $1.15 billion richer as the estimated jackpot rises for Friday's drawing.

If a player chooses all the correct numbers, the $1.15 billion prize would be the fifth-largest jackpot in the history of the game, according to the Mega Millions site.

Mega Millions numbers are drawn twice a week, on Tuesdays and Fridays at 11 p.m. Eastern Time.
To be eligible for the jackpot, Georgia players must buy their tickets by 10:45 p.m. Eastern Time on the days of a drawing and until 1 a.m. on all other days.

Jackpots may be paid out over a 30-year annuity, but most people take a lump sum cash payment, which would be $516.1 million for Friday’s drawing. It’s important to remember that winnings are subject to federal taxes and, often, state taxes, as well.

Tickets cost $2. For another $1, players can buy the Megaplier option, which increases their winnings up to $5 million.

Players select 5 numbers between 1 and 70, and a Mega Ball number between 1 and 25. You can also have the lottery computer randomly select the numbers.

Georgia law allows lottery winners to remain anonymous.

Online winning tickets expire 180 days from the drawing date, while instant ticket winners have 90 days from the expiration date to claim prizes. Instructions on how to receive prizes are here.

Georgia takes 5.75 percent in state taxes and 24 percent in federal taxes for winnings more than $5,000.

The odds of winning the jackpot are pretty low — about 1 in 302.6 million. You have a better chance of dying in a plane crash or lightning strike. But the odds of winning smaller prizes ranging are significantly better: the odds of winning $1 million are about 1 in 12.6 million.