$476 MILLION Mega Millions Lottery !!! Record-Breaking Jackpot !!!

[Kotsy1]

Anyone can play. You just have to be able to buy a ticket.

 

[harrys99]

In the last 25 drawings the megaball number has been

under #10-7 times 3-3-4-5-7-8-9

#11 to #20-4 times 11-19-20-20

#21 to #30-6 times 23-23-24-27-27-30

#31 to #40-6 times 31-33-34-35-36-37

#41 to #46-2 times 44-46

Not planning on buying a lot of tickets, but trying to figure out my megaball numbers. (Wish I had more statistics) Have already chosen #10 on one ticket for Immortality

Wonder what the chances of 3-20-23 coming up again since they are the only ones that have repeated?

 

[harrys99]

In the last 25 drawings the megaball number has been

under #10-7 times 3-3-4-5-7-8-9

#11 to #20-4 times 11-19-20-20

#21 to #30-6 times 23-23-24-27-27-30

#31 to #40-6 times 31-33-34-35-36-37

#41 to #46-2 times 44-46

Not planning on buying a lot of tickets, but trying to figure out my megaball numbers. (Wish I had more statistics) Have already chosen #10 on one ticket for Immortality

Wonder what the chances of 3-20-23-27 coming up again since they are the only ones that have repeated?

missed #27

 

[ksb11]

I bought 5 tickets! I could really use $100 billion of that to pay bills.

 

[Westland Bowl]

Jackpot now revised to $540,000,000 !!!

 

[P.V.]

Jackpot now revised to $540,000,000 !!!

Purchased 100 tickets today, what the heck it's a big one!

 

[Przecinek]

not a fan of these massive lottery jackpots..

id rather see more people win a few million than 1 person scoop 500 mill..no one needs that kinda money..should spread the wealth more

that just my humble opinion anyway

Couldn't agree more.

Here's something you should all consider:

1. Wasted life "Whittaker chose the cash payment option receiving a check after taxes for about US$113.4 million. Little did Whittaker know, the devastation that ticket would cause on his life. "

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2. Loterry related murders "A Florida woman has been arrested in connection with the death of a lottery millionaire, whose body was found buried under recently added concrete at a home, authorities said."

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3. Social/drug/alcohol abuse

"Her life has lurched from one drama to another since she landed a £2million Lottery jackpot aged just 16."

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4. Suicides / Lack of purpose in life (this one is most common ... )

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----
Almost all lottery winners end up having mugshots taken, even if they were good fathers or husbands/ sucessful businesspersons etc.

You still want to be a lottery winner and be drawn into world of darkness? Suit yourself ... I'm happy with my life. And I wish all of you well...therefore I hope u won't get that half billion...

 

[bb28]

I'm gonna be debbie downer here but hey I will be buying a couple of tickets myself.

Here are the odds according to the

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. By the numbers, you have a 1 in 175,711,536 chance.

 

[immortality]

I'm gonna be debbie downer here but hey I will be buying a couple of tickets myself.

Here are the odds according to the

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. By the numbers, you have a 1 in 175,711,536 chance.

Harrys99 has won the jackpot

 

[bb28]

Just heard it's now up to 640 million.

 

[harrys99]

I'm gonna be debbie downer here but hey I will be buying a couple of tickets myself.

Here are the odds according to the

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. By the numbers, you have a 1 in 175,711,536 chance.

I'll be happy if I match 2 or 3 numbers

 

[harrys99]

Harrys99 has won the jackpot

feeling that positive energy

 

[Pulver]

lol, I would be dead within a year if got that amount of money between my hands..

Insane jackpot, thats for sure..

 

[secret2]

I WON!!!!!.....

....hate me later....when I win....love me now when I share

 

[nisosbar]

I bought 5 quick picks - and I never play any of these lotto type games.

 

[Gret]

Well, as I'm not a US citizen I can't buy into this lottery (lol). I've always wondered though how it works in the US, as in how much of the total money do the winners get? You guys are taxed on lottery winnings aren't you? and isn't there something about taking a lump sum or amounts over a certain number of years? Gotta admit 500 million seems insane to me.

Here in NZ the lotto is up to a measly 25 million but the winner takes all with no taxes taken off it and it's immediately given in a lump sum. There is a rule here that the maximum it can get up to is 30 million. If no one wins it then, it is spread between second division winners. Saying that, there is a whole lot less people in NZ than the states. Our whole population would rate as one US city's population (lol). Personally if I won such an amount, after giving some to family members, buying a nice house, putting some away for retirement down the track, I'd like to set up a charitable fund. The interest of which each year is given to various charities. I figure even if I give up work (as would be able to afford this), running the charity would provide me with a job which I think would be kinda cool and satisfying.

Who can play-

Anybody can buy a lottery ticket regardless of residency or citizenship, except certain people who work for the lottery. Note that a convicted sex offender won during the past five years or so in Michigan.​

Happiness-

​

99% of the people who win lotteries are happy as clams. The exceptions make the news. Studies show this to be the case.​

Big prizes-

The comments about smaller prizes rather than one large paymetn are interesting, but the lotteries in the US have tried this before and ticket sales declined. People want big prizes.​

Payouts-

If you choose the lump sum payout, and depending on the state you live in, the net after tax amount is between 40% & 45% of the advertised prize amount. Variances occur because the lump sum payment is equal to what they would have to pay for annuity and this fluctuates depending on interest rates.

They only take 25% in Federal income taxes when they give you a check and then you have to pay another 10% when you file you tax return.

If you take the annuity, you get the prize amount divided by 26 (number of years you receive payments). The annuity payment each year is then subject to a 35% Federal tax and whatever state tax you owe depending on the state of residency. Note that the annuity payment may get adjusted for an inflation factor if you win Power Ball, I don't know for Mega Millions.​

 

[jetset]

That's interesting - I always thought that non-US residents were not allowed to participate.

I seem to recall that the UK national lottery has restrictions on who can buy tickets, but I can't recall the detail - perhaps one of our UK members knows the answer?

I wonder whether anyone hit this massive jackpot last night?

 

[Westland Bowl]

Yes, someone won in Maryland. I think another person won in Pennsylvania. I don't know yet if that is all of the winners.

 

[jetset]

Thanks - if you see any detail will you post it?

 

[jetset]

Never mind - got it:

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Updated at 1:56 a.m. ET: The Associated Press is reporting that Maryland lottery officials have announced early Saturday their state sold what could become the world's largest lottery payout of all-time, but it was unclear if that ticket holder would get sole possession of the $640 million jackpot.

Carole Everett, director of communications for the Maryland Lottery, told the AP the winning Mega Millions ticket was purchased at a Baltimore County store. She said it's too early to know any other information about the lucky ticket-holder or whether others were sold elsewhere in the nation.

The winning numbers for the Mega Millions prize were 46, 23, 38, 4, 2; mega ball was 23, lottery officials said late Friday.

 

[chayton]

They said on the news that a ticket in Maryland and one in Kansas. I hope it's one of my very good friends!

Actually I was hoping it's someone who really needs it and will do something good with what they don't need.

 

[jetset]

Here's a little more detail from Associated Press - note the amount of money spent on tickets!

CHICAGO (AP) -- Maryland lottery officials announced early Saturday that their state sold what could become the world's largest lottery payout of all-time, but it wasn't immediately clear if that ticket holder would get sole possession of the $640 million jackpot or have to split it with other winners.

Carole Everett, director of communications for the Maryland Lottery, said the winning Mega Millions ticket was purchased at a retailer in Baltimore County. She said it's too early to know any other information about the lucky ticket holder or whether others were sold elsewhere in the nation.

The winning numbers were 02-04-23-38-46, and the Mega Ball 23.

National lottery officials were expecting to list early Saturday on their website how many winning tickets were sold and from what states, but Maryland sent out its news release and called media organizations hours before the scheduled announcement. The headline of its news release said the winning sale was "one of several nationwide," but Everett told The Associated Press she couldn't immediately confirm any others.

Everett said the last time a ticket from the state won a major national jackpot was 2008 when a ticket sold for $24 million.

"We're thrilled," she said. "We're due and excited."

The estimated jackpot dwarfs the previous $390 million record, which was split in 2007 by two winners who bought tickets in Georgia and New Jersey.

Americans spent nearly $1.5 billion for a chance to hit the jackpot, which amounts to a $462 million lump sun and around $347 million after federal tax withholding. With the jackpot odds at 1 in 176 million, it would cost $176 million to buy up every combination. Under that scenario, the strategy would win $171 million less if your state also withholds taxes.

 

[Simmo!]

About time someone looked at these lotteries IMO. That could ruin or even end someone's life and why the hell would anyone want that much money anyway? What do you do with it? Hopefully a bunch of charities will also see some benefit but wouldn't it be a more sensible approach to offer 640 prizes of a much more manageable $1million? I would have thought they'd raise just as much if you knew you had so many more chances to win.

 

[jetset]

Perhaps it's just a greed instinct - as Gret commented earlier in this thread, various surveys have shown that the bigger the prize, the more tickets are sold to players who are motivated to pile in more than is the case with a greater number of smaller prizes.

I do agree that a bigger spread giving more opportunities to win would be a more logical approach, but apparently the studies don't lie, and the lotteries love to get in as much money as possible.

In fairness, most lotteries do a lot of great work through charity and sport donations.

 

[harrys99]

I'll be happy if I match 2 or 3 numbers

matched 3 numbers and got the megaball number of 23 Guess I should be happy