What You Should Know About Jackpot Lottery
Jackpot lottery is a type of gambling game where you have to guess which numbers are drawn and if you win you can earn a big cash prize. There are a few things that you should know before you try to play jackpot lottery. Firstly, you should be aware that there are scams that you can fall into. Also, you should be aware that it is not easy to win.
Mega Millions jackpot surpassed half a billion dollars
In the last three months, the Mega Millions jackpot has climbed from $289.8 million to $565 million, and the odds of winning a grand prize in this popular game are astronomical. The odds of matching the winning Mega Ball number are 1 in 302,575,350, while the odds of winning the cash prize are one in 1.3 billion.
In addition to the grand prize, the lottery has a few lesser prizes. For instance, the Megaplier option adds an extra $1 for matching a single number, or $5 for matching all five numbers.
The Mega Millions lottery has been around for more than a decade. It started out as “the Big Game” and changed its name in 2002. Today, the lottery is played in 45 states and the District of Columbia. Unlike some other lottery games, money from ticket sales goes to statewide public schools.
The Mega Millions’ top prize has been building for more than 20 drawings since 2008. On Tuesday, the jackpot surpassed $1.1 billion. This is the third largest jackpot in the game’s history, and is one of the biggest lottery prizes in the country.
Another Mega Millions record came in September, when two tickets sold in Illinois each split a Mega Millions jackpot of $1.337 billion. Fortunately for the lucky winners, both opted for a lump sum payment of $780 million.
Longer jackpot odds have made winning the jackpot harder
The Powerball has been a fixture of the lottery scene for over thirty years. With a hefty jackpot to boot, the competition has been stiff. But, it’s not all bad news. Newer rules are making the game more interesting to play.
One of the more notable changes is that the game has been scaled up to include more numbers. The new rules have increased the number of possible combinations from 59 to 69. This will increase the odds of winning a prize by one or two. On the flip side, players may have to shell out more to win their share of the big prize.
While the new game has a number of perks, the main drawback is that the big bucks have stayed put. For one, there’s a lack of parity amongst the states that are actually willing to sell you a ticket. Another is the fact that players can’t play from home. Despite its best efforts, the lottery isn’t as popular as it once was.
In its current form, the big prize has stymied efforts to bring its ilk to a wider audience. To that end, officials are considering expanding the game to additional states and even international locales. And while you’ll still have to part with your hard-earned dough, a streamlined game that’s more enjoyable could mean fewer losers.
Scams of the jackpot
There’s no denying that jackpot lottery scams are on the rise. These types of bogus lottery schemes are like a perfect storm for scammers. They combine a large prize pool with a wide-spread target audience and a long period of time to deceive victims.
The most common type of lottery scam involves criminals asking for pre-payment. They impersonate lottery organizations and claim to have won a prize, and then require victims to pay a “handling fee” before they can claim it.
Scammers can also contact the intended victim by email, phone, or social media sites. Some of these fake messages look genuine, but the information contained in them isn’t. For instance, a fraudulent text claiming to be from Powerball winners Tammy and Cliff Webster includes a phone number that offers to collect money.
In another case, a man from Missouri claimed to be the winner of a sweepstakes prize of $8.5 million, but ended up paying $500 for a fake check. He later received calls from Publishers Clearing House and other sources, who told him he had won the prize.
Another scam involves fraudsters impersonating previous jackpot winners. These people have been known to entice victims into sending money by claiming that they are able to share the prize.