Mega Millions Jackpot At $94 Million, Powerball Jackpot At $189 Million, Are You Playing The Lottery?
Mega Millions and Powerball are America’s most popular lottery games, and both are seeing large jackpots. Neither game saw a jackpot winner during the last drawings, and the Mega Millions jackpot has rolled to $94 million. Meanwhile, the Powerball jackpot is currently at an estimated $189 million. The next Mega Millions drawing takes place live tonight, at 11 p.m. ET. The drawing for the $189 million Powerball jackpot takes place on Wednesday night at 11 p.m ET.
Mega Millions Winning Numbers And Winners Feb. 12, Jackpot Rolls To $94 Million, Watch Live https://t.co/d0uKJ8bB4S pic.twitter.com/XTP4gjwr2I
— Mary Turner (@thesaleswhopper) February 16, 2016
Mega Millions continues to be one of the most popular lottery games, as the odds of winning are slightly better than they are for winning the Powerball. However, Powerball jackpots are larger than those for Mega Millions and have had the largest jackpots in world history with the January 13, 2016, Powerball jackpot reaching $1.58 billion. Mega Millions jackpots reset to $15 million after a grand prize win. Powerball jackpots always reset to $40 million.
RT CharisseMarie Powerball Winning Numbers And Winners For Feb. 13, Watch Live Drawing Video As Jackpot Rolls To $189Mi… https://t.co/y6VqJ3A6kT
— John Harris (@winthenextlotto) February 15, 2016
There have been many winners in the past drawings, despite no one winning the jackpot, and there have been multiple millionaires made through Powerball and Mega Millions. There are 43 states and two jurisdictions (Washington D.C and the U.S. Virgin Islands) where Mega Millions is played. Powerball is played in 44 states and three jurisdictions (Washington D.C., the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico). Because Mega Millions and Powerball are multi-state lottery games, they share the jackpot prizes with every winning ticket across multiple areas.
Powerball underwent a redesign in 2015 that has enabled the game to see larger jackpots. It is now more difficult to win the grand prize, yet easier to win non-jackpot prizes. This has proved beneficial for those who have become millionaires by winning the second-tier Powerball prize that consists of matching all five white balls, minus the red Power Ball. Likewise, those who play Mega Millions and don’t match all six balls can win a million dollars by matching all five white balls for the second-tier prize. Even without winning the grand prize, Mega Millions and Powerball players can win substantial prizes.
There are several things to take into consideration when playing the lottery. Those who do win the lottery will want to take precautions regarding with whom they share their lucky news. Play the lottery like you expect one day to win. By that, take care of your tickets as soon as you purchase them. Sign the back so no one can steal them and try to pass them off as their own. Keep your tickets protected so they won’t become damaged, and put them in a safe place. The worst thing that can happen is winning a substantial amount at the lottery then losing your winning ticket. Make certain your ticket is in a safe place so it won’t become damaged should you win. Winning Powerball and Mega Millions tickets need to be turned in so that you can claim your winnings. If the ticket is damaged in a manner that makes it difficult to read the numbers, it might be rejected, and you will forfeit your right to the winnings.
Once you win a large amount at Mega Millions or Powerball, you should speak to an attorney, a CPA, and a financial advisor or planner. An accountant will help you keep track of your money, and a CPA can help you handle your taxes. A financial planner or advisor can help you make decisions for your future. Mega Millions and Powerball winners can choose to take a cash annuity, where a certain amount of money is given on a yearly basis. If you choose a lump sum cash payment, you will receive the money up front.
The next Mega Millions drawing takes place tonight at 11 p.m. ET. Check back for live video from the drawing, as well as live coverage and video of the Powerball drawing tomorrow night at 11 p.m ET.
[Image via MikeLedRay/Shutterstock]
