Effective April 4 the New York Lottery will change the deadline for purchasing Mega Millions tickets for same-day draws to 10 p.m. Currently, tickets can be purchased until 10:45 p.m. on the day of the draw. Mega Millions draws are held on Tuesdays and Fridays at 11 p.m.
According to the New York Lottery, the new draw close time will give them more time to conduct closing procedures for each Mega Millions draw. The change is strictly operational and will have no impact on players who wish to play Mega Millions.
Mega Millions tickets cost $2 per play, and players select six numbers from two separate pools of numbers. Five numbers are chosen from 1 to 70, while one number from 1 to 25 is chosen for the Mega Ball. Players may also select Quick Pick, which randomly generates the numbers for them. To win the jackpot, players must match all six winning numbers.
In addition to the standard Mega Millions game, players can also opt for the Megaplier feature by paying an extra $1 per game. The Megaplier multiplies non-Jackpot prizes by up to five times. There is also a Mega Millions feature called “Just the Jackpot,” which provides players with two Quick Pick tickets that are only eligible to win the jackpot for just $3.
During fiscal year 2021-2022, New York’s Mega Millions generated a total of $294,562,279 in sales. The Lottery Aid to Education fund received $119,222,978 from the sales of Mega Millions during the same period.
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