GENERAL INFORMATION ON MEGA MILLIONS LOTTERY FROM NEW JERSEY MEGA MILLIONS WEBSITE
http://www.state.nj.us/lottery/games/1-1_mega_millions.shtml

HOW TO PLAY

MEGA MILLIONS is easy to play. Ask your New Jersey Lottery Retailer for a MEGA MILLIONS bet slip. Each board you play on a MEGA MILLIONS bet slip costs $1.00. Up to five boards can be played on a bet slip.

To play a board, you must select five numbers from 1 to 56 in the upper shaded board box and select one (1) Gold Mega Ball number from 1 to 46 in the lower white board box. Or you have the option to select the Quick Pick (QP) box, and the Green Machine will randomly pick your numbers for you.

You can even play the same numbers for up to eight consecutive drawings by marking the appropriate box under "Multidraw" on your bet slip. The play must include the current draw and not skip draws in between.

Check your bet slip carefully to make sure you have correctly marked the numbers you want before presenting it to the agent. Once a ticket has been printed, it cannot be cancelled. ALL SALES ARE FINAL.

The MEGA MILLIONS member states are New Jersey, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Virginia, New York, Ohio, Texas, Washington State and California.

ODDS & PRIZES

MATCH - PRIZE* - ODDS (per $1 play)

ALL NUMBERS - JACKPOT** - 1 : 175,711,536
5 NUMBERS - $250,000 - 1 : 3,904,701
4 NUMBERS + MEGABALL - $10,000 - 1 : 689,065
4 NUMBERS - $150 - 1 : 15,313
3 NUMBERS + MEGABALL - $150 - 1 : 13,781
2 NUMBERS + MEGABALL - $10 - 1 : 844
3 NUMBERS - $7 - 1 : 306
1 NUMBER + MEGABALL - $3 - 1 : 141
MEGABALL - $2 - 1 : 75

Odds of winning jackpot are 1 : 175,711,536. Overall odds of winning are approximately 1 : 40.

*Subject to published rules of MEGA MILLIONS and the New Jersey Lottery, the fixed prize amounts indicated here may be pari-mutuel.

**The JACKPOT prize will be divided equally among multiple winners. The prize is paid in 26 annual installments unless Cash Option is selected.

CHOOSE HOW TO GET PAID

NOTE: JOINLOTTOPOOL.COM ONLY PURCHASES LOTTO TICKETS TO BE PAID IN LUMP SUM AMOUNT. WE DO NOT PUCHASE ANNUITY PAYMENT FOR OUR LOTTO POOLS.

Select how you want to get paid when you buy your ticket - either Annuity or Cash. Select Annuity if you want to be paid the jackpot amount over a 26-year period, or select Cash if you want to be paid the jackpot amount in a lump sum.

Why Is This Choice Important?
Winners who choose Annual Installment Payments will be taxed on each year's winnings as they receive them. Winners who choose Lump-Sum Payments will be taxed on the entire amount all at once.

Why Is the Cash Option Jackpot Less Than the Advertised Jackpot?
Mega Millions jackpots are advertised at the estimated amount of the 26-year Annual Installment Payments. With Installment Payments, the first annual payment is approximately 1/26th of the estimated jackpot amount. For the remaining 25 years, we buy Government Security or Treasury Bonds, which earn interest annually. That annual return is the amount winners receive each year.

Example*:
If the New Jersey Lottery estimates a jackpot of $11 million, the approximate Lump-Sum cash value is $6.3 million. With the Lump-Sum Payment, the winner may receive the $6.3 million in one payment, less the required 25% federal tax withholdings. With the Installment Payments, the winner receives $11 million over a 26-year period, less the required 25% federal tax withholdings.

*Dollar amounts are based on payments to a single jackpot winner, sales, and fluctuating interest rates.

HOW TO CLAIM YOUR PRIZE

When you win, sign the back of your ticket immediately. Then take it to any New Jersey Lottery Retailer for validation. New Jersey Lottery winners can claim a prize worth $599.50 or less at any New Jersey Lottery Retailer and be paid cash at the time of the claim. A winner claiming a prize over $599.50 can do so at their New Jersey Lottery Retailer or at Lottery Headquarters. However, they must fill out a claim form, and the winnings will be reported to the Internal Revenue Service. It takes approximately three weeks to receive a check from the New Jersey Lottery. Top-prize Pick-6 Lotto winners must contact Lottery Headquarters in Lawrenceville and present their ticket in person. Proper identification for tax purposes must be presented at the time of the claim.

Guidelines For Participating in Office Pools:

Know your pool - get the names and phone numbers of everyone involved in your pool, particularly the individuals who are in charge of purchasing the tickets and the person who will hold the tickets.

Know where and when your tickets are being purchased - find out the name and address of the retailer that the ticket-buyer plans to visit as well as the approximate time of purchase.

Get copies of your tickets - make sure you receive copies of all tickets purchased for your pool, prior to the lottery drawing. This should include the serial numbers on the back of the tickets.

FEDERAL TAX REQUIREMENTS FOR LOTTERY PRIZES

The Energy Policy Act of 1992, section 1942, requires the New Jersey Lottery to withhold a minimum 25% of all prize payments to any Lottery winner who has won more than $5,000 on any Lottery wager. At the end of the year, the winner will receive a W2-G form to properly credit the withholding as a tax payment on their federal income tax form.

New Jersey residents who win a New Jersey Lottery prize are not required to pay any New Jersey state income tax on their winnings. Winners who do not possess a social security number are subject to a 30% federal income tax deduction on any prize over $599.50.