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Mega Millions Winning Numbers For Feb. 5 And Live Drawing Video

By Charisse Van Horn
Published on: 16:07 PST, Feb 5, 2016

It’s Feb. 5, and the Mega Millions winning numbers are in. That means it’s time to grab your Mega Millions ticket and start comparing your numbers. Here is the live drawing video that took place Feb. 5, 2016, at 11 p.m. ET, to ensure that you have the accurate numbers. The Mega Millions winning numbers are 4, 6, 23, 55, 75, and the Mega Ball is 2. The Megaplier is 3. Results are still pending but the estimated jackpot is $71 million with a cash value of $45 million. It is too early to determine if there is a jackpot winner or if there were non-jackpot winners. We’ll have winners results for you shortly.

If there isn’t a jackpot winner in tonight’s drawing, the Mega Millions jackpot will roll to $80 million. Mega Millions and Powerball are the nation’s two largest jackpot lottery games. They are operated under the jurisdiction of the Multi State Lottery Association (MUSL). While Powerball tickets cost $2 per play, Mega Millions costs $1 with an additional $1 for the Megaplier. The Megaplier multiplies non-jackpot winnings. Both Mega Millions and Powerball have undergone a surge since the Jan. 13, $1.58 billion jackpot that resulted in three winners: one in California, one in Texas, and Lisa and John Robinson from Munford, Tennessee. The Robinsons have recently been targeted by the most litigious person in the United States: Jonathan Lee Riches. Riches has sued everyone from Martha Stewart to Britney Spears and has now targeted the Powerball winners of the billion dollar jackpot.

To this date, the California and Florida winners have yet to claim their tickets. Just recently, a $63 million California lottery ticket went unpaid because the lottery stated the ticket they received was too damaged to process. A man named Brandy Milliner, who submitted the ticket to the lottery, claims that at first he was congratulated and told he had the winning ticket. Now, Milliner has filed a lawsuit and requests a jury trial.

The incident shows how important it is to protect your Mega Millions tickets as soon as you purchase them in order to make sure they are in perfect condition should they match all of the winning numbers. One can only imagine the huge letdown of being told you won a $63 million jackpot, only to later be told you won’t be getting a penny.

Always sign the back of your Mega Millions tickets and keep them in a safe place. You want to ensure it is protected from damage as well as from being misplaced.

If there is a Mega Millions jackpot winner, they have the choice of taking a cash, lump sum payment and paying taxes on it, or choosing a 29-year annuity. Though you still need to pay taxes, most financial experts agree that an annuity is the smarter financial decision than a lump sum. Additionally, Mega Millions winners should refrain from making any large purchases for at least six months. It is very easy to get caught up in being a Mega Millions jackpot winner, but studies have shown the majority of lottery winners who win large sums lose everything within five years.

Did you play Mega Millions tonight? Have you compared your tickets with the winning numbers results? If you are a jackpot or other large winner, you are advised not to tell anyone. Simply do not trust anyone, except for maybe your closest family members, such as your spouse, and that’s only if you have a good relationship. Winning the Mega Millions jackpot will make you an instant target for scam artists and those who would prey on you. Contact an attorney, a financial planner, and an adviser, such as a CPA, to ensure you pay your taxes and have a realistic plan in mind for saving and investing your money.

Good luck at winning the Mega Millions!

[Photo by Andi Berger/Shutterstock]

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