Dreaming of winning the $533 million Mega Millions jackpot? If you’re hoping to keep a low profile, you might want to check the laws in your state before planning a big purchase.
Past lottery winners have learned the value of anonymity, sometimes the hard way, when it comes to winning huge prizes. Fear of robbery, greedy family and friends, scammers, mismanagement and unwanted attention are among the reasons some big winners hesitate to go public. In recent decades, lawmakers have taken note of this dilemma, leading a handful of states to tweak privacy laws.
“Keep quiet:” Here’s what you need to know and do if you win the Mega Millions jackpot
There are only so many that allow complete anonymity and no rules. Others require players to win a certain amount of money before protections take effect.
Before you allocate your dream winnings to a vacation or shopping trip, check the list below to see if your identity is safe in your state.
Mega Millions: See which states allow lottery winners to remain anonymous
More than a dozen states allow winners to claim their prizes anonymously. In some places, such as Delaware and Michigan, any winner can remain anonymous. In other states, such as Arizona or Virginia, it depends on the amount won.
Only 10 states—Delaware, Kansas, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, New Jersey, North Dakota, South Carolina and Wyoming—grant true anonymity without regulations.
States that allow some form of anonymity include:
The current Mega Millions jackpot has grown to $533 million.
When is the next Mega Millions drawing?
The next Mega Millions drawing will be held on Tuesday, March 10 at 11 PM ET.
How to play Mega Millions
To win the Mega Millions jackpot, you must select a total of six numbers and hope that the numbers drawn match the numbers you selected.
When purchasing a lottery ticket, you can choose your own numbers or ask the cashier to “Quick Pick” or “Easy Pick” and the computer will randomly generate numbers for you. Once you get your ticket, pick six numbers. Five of the numbers are white balls from 1 to 70. The range of golden super balls is from 1 to 24.
As of April 2025, new Mega Millions tickets include built-in multipliers that can increase non-jackpot prizes by two, three, four, five or ten times.
Previously, in some states, a multiplier called a “Megaplier” was available for additional dollar surcharges. Likewise, the “Just the Jackpot” feature offered in some states has been discontinued.
Where to buy lottery tickets
Lottery tickets are sold at gas stations, convenience stores and grocery stores. Some airport terminals may also sell lottery tickets.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Where can Mega Millions jackpot winners remain anonymous? View state
