Half of every dollar spent on Mega Millions is paid back to players in prizes. The rest goes to the retailers who sell tickets, to running each lottery and, above all, to the public programs each state has chosen: education in many of them, but also seniors, veterans, parks and local services.
How ticket money is split
- Prizes: 50% of Mega Millions sales is paid back to players in prizes, from the $10 wins to the jackpot.
- Retailers: the stores that sell tickets earn a commission on every sale, and many states also pay them a bonus for selling a big winner.
- Running the lottery: a share covers the lottery's operating costs, such as terminals, security, draws and advertising.
- Public programs: the rest goes to the programs set by each state's law.
Each state decides where its share goes
Mega Millions is sold by 47 lotteries, and each one follows its own state's laws. The money that funds public programs stays with the lottery that sold the ticket, so a ticket bought in Georgia helps fund Georgia's programs and one bought in Texas, those of Texas.
Some lotteries put everything into a single fund, often for education; others share it among several causes or send it to the state's general budget.
Where the money goes in each state
| State | Main beneficiaries |
|---|---|
| Arizona | Mostly the state General Fund, plus university construction bonds, the Heritage Fund (wildlife), mass transit, health and other state programs |
| Arkansas | College scholarships (Arkansas Academic Challenge and Workforce Challenge scholarships) |
| California | Public education: K-12 schools, community colleges, California State University and University of California |
| Colorado | The outdoors: Great Outdoors Colorado, the Conservation Trust Fund and Colorado Parks and Wildlife; overflow money goes to school construction (BEST) |
| Connecticut | State General Fund (education, health, human services, public safety and other state services) |
| Delaware | State General Fund |
| Washington, D.C. | District General Fund (education, recreation and parks, public safety, housing, senior and child services) |
| Florida | Education, through the Educational Enhancement Trust Fund (including Bright Futures scholarships) |
| Georgia | HOPE scholarships and grants, and Pre-K |
| Idaho | Public school facilities (62.5%) and the Permanent Building Fund for state buildings, mostly on college campuses (37.5%) |
| Illinois | K-12 education (Common School Fund), plus specialty causes funded by dedicated scratch tickets |
| Indiana | Teachers' Retirement Fund and local police and firefighters' pensions ($30 million each a year); the rest goes to the state Lottery Surplus Fund, which helps lower vehicle excise taxes |
| Iowa | Mostly the state General Fund, plus the Veterans Trust Fund |
| Kansas | Economic development, prisons and juvenile detention, mental health, veterans and problem gambling programs; the rest goes to the State General Fund |
| Kentucky | College scholarships and grants (KEES, College Access Program, Kentucky Tuition Grant and others) |
| Louisiana | K-12 public education (Minimum Foundation Program); the first $500,000 a year goes to problem gambling programs |
| Maine | State General Fund, plus the Maine Outdoor Heritage Fund (from a dedicated instant game) |
| Maryland | Mostly the state General Fund, plus several dedicated state funds |
| Massachusetts | Unrestricted local aid to the state's 351 cities and towns; profits from online sales fund early childhood education and care grants |
| Michigan | K-12 education (School Aid Fund) |
| Minnesota | State General Fund (60%) and the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund (40%) |
| Mississippi | Roads and bridges (State Highway Fund, first $80 million a year), then education (Education Enhancement Fund) |
| Missouri | Public education |
| Montana | STEM and healthcare scholarships first; the rest goes to the state General Fund |
| Nebraska | Education (44.5%), the Nebraska Environmental Trust (44.5%), the State Fair (10%) and problem gambling assistance (1%) |
| New Hampshire | Public education (all net profits go to the Education Trust Fund for state aid to school districts) |
| New Jersey | The state pension system for teachers, police officers, firefighters and other public employees (since 2017) |
| New Mexico | College tuition through the Legislative Lottery Scholarship |
| New York | Public education (Lottery Aid to Education for school districts) |
| North Carolina | Education: school construction, school support staff, NC Pre-K, college scholarships and school transportation |
| North Dakota | Mostly the State General Fund, plus a multi-jurisdictional drug task force grant fund and problem gambling treatment |
| Ohio | K-12 education (Lottery Profits Education Fund) |
| Oklahoma | Education (Oklahoma Education Lottery Trust Fund): K-12, higher education and CareerTech, school consolidation and teachers' retirement |
| Oregon | Public schools, jobs and economic development, state parks, watersheds and wildlife habitats, Outdoor School and veterans' services |
| Pennsylvania | Programs for older adults (property tax and rent rebates, prescription assistance, free and reduced-fare transit, local Area Agencies on Aging) |
| Rhode Island | State General Fund |
| South Carolina | Education: college scholarships (LIFE, HOPE, Palmetto Fellows) plus K-12 and other education programs chosen by the General Assembly |
| South Dakota | State General Fund (70% of lotto proceeds) and water, environment and highway projects through the Capital Construction Fund (30%) |
| Tennessee | Education: HOPE and other college scholarships and grants, plus after-school programs |
| Texas | Public education (Foundation School Fund) and veterans (Fund for Veterans' Assistance) |
| U.S. Virgin Islands | Public school programs (Education Initiative Fund), prescription assistance for seniors, retirees' bonuses (GERS), veterans, local nonprofits and the territory's General Fund |
| Vermont | Public education (state Education Fund) |
| Virginia | K-12 public education |
| Washington | Mainly the Washington Opportunity Pathways Account (college financial aid and early learning), plus the state General Fund, economic development and problem gambling programs |
| West Virginia | Education, senior services, tourism and state parks, the General Fund and other state programs, including PROMISE scholarships |
| Wisconsin | Property tax relief for homeowners (Lottery and Gaming Credit) |
| Wyoming | Wyoming's cities, towns and counties (unrestricted funds) |
Every state lottery publishes where its money goes, usually in its annual report or in a section of its website about beneficiaries. Look up yours to see what your tickets help fund.
What happens to unclaimed prizes
Every year some prizes go unclaimed. If a Mega Millions jackpot expires, each participating lottery gets back all the money it contributed to it. What each lottery does with unclaimed prizes depends on its state: typically they fund state programs, promotions or additional prizes.
Claim deadlines run from 90 days to one year, so check your old tickets in results before throwing them away.
Where Mega Millions is sold
Mega Millions is sold in 45 states, Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands. It isn't sold in Alabama, Alaska, Hawaii, Nevada or Utah, which don't offer it, or in Puerto Rico, which sells Powerball. Every participating lottery is listed in Mega Millions states, and how to buy in each of them is in where to play Mega Millions.
Playing for a good cause, in the right way
It's good to know that part of what you spend on Mega Millions funds schools, scholarships or parks in your state. But the best reason to play is the fun of the game. Set a budget that works for you, whatever the cause, and follow the tips in responsible play.
Frequently asked questions
How much of Mega Millions sales goes to prizes?
50%. Half of all Mega Millions sales is paid back to players in prizes. The rest covers retailer commissions, operating costs and state programs.
Does the money from my ticket stay in my state?
The share that funds public programs stays with the lottery that sold your ticket and is used as that state's law decides. The jackpot, on the other hand, is shared: all the participating lotteries contribute to it.
Which causes does the lottery fund?
It depends on the state. Education is the most common, but lottery money also funds programs for seniors and veterans, parks and conservation, local governments and property tax relief.
Last reviewed: . Independent information: official results are published by the lottery that runs the game.