Buying lottery tickets is fun and easy, but winning the jackpot can be even more exciting. But the odds of winning a jackpot prize are extremely low, so it’s important to understand how the game works and learn a few tips for playing smartly.
Make the most of your jackpot – without breaking the bank
When you win a lottery, you may receive a lump sum or a series of payments over time. This decision depends on a number of factors, including how big the prize is and how much you can afford to spend. If the amount is smaller, a lump sum is likely a better choice because it’s easier to spend.
Keep your money safe – and out of the hands of strangers
A responsible lottery winner will keep his or her money in a safe place until it is needed. Ideally, that will be a combination of real estate, stocks, and other investments.
Make sure you know the rules before you play – it’s a good idea to check with your state’s lottery. If you’re not sure, ask an attorney or a financial adviser for guidance.
You can also choose to invest your winnings in a tax-deferred account, which allows you to defer taxes on your winnings while receiving regular payments from the lottery over a period of years. This option is more tax-efficient than a lump sum payment, but it does require some careful planning.
It’s also important to consider your future earnings and the lottery’s tax rates over the course of your lifetime. If you have a high income or expect to have a higher one in the near future, it’s a good idea to choose a lump sum instead of an annuity.
Powerball and Mega Millions are two popular games in the United States, and both offer jackpots that can grow to billions of dollars. These are multi-state lotteries that have huge purses and a relatively low likelihood of winning.
In 2018, for instance, the jackpot of Powerball grew to $1.537 billion — the second-highest payout in its history. It was also the first Mega Millions draw in 26 years with no jackpot winners.
Some state lotteries offer a special wager type called Just the Jackpot that lets you play for the jackpot only at a cost of $3 per ticket. This wager type only pays out the jackpot if you’re the first person to match all six numbers.
Another way to maximize your chances of winning is to choose a range of numbers that are less popular than other numbers. This can increase your odds of hitting a winning combination, but it’s unlikely to boost your overall chances of winning by a lot.
You can also play multiple numbers to multiply your non-jackpot prize. For a small additional cost, you can also add a Megaplier to your ticket, which can boost your non-jackpot prize by 2, 3, 4, or 5 times.
Pay out in a lump sum or annuity
The largest jackpots are paid out as a cash lump sum or as an annuity over a set number of years. Most people choose to take the cash lump sum, but organizers of large jackpots often offer a chance to invest the prize money in an annuity. The annuity is a series of monthly payments that gradually increases over time, so it’s a more predictable way to receive your prize money than a cash lump sum.