Mega Millions is one national game, so the numbers, odds and prize amounts are the same in Virginia as everywhere else. What's specific to Virginia is where you buy, when sales close, how you claim, and what tax and privacy rules apply. This guide covers those.
Where can you buy Mega Millions in Virginia?
At any Virginia Lottery retailer, or online. The Virginia Lottery sells Mega Millions through valottery.com and the Virginia Lottery app to players who are 18 or older and physically located in Virginia; our guide to the valottery.com account covers signing up.
Sales close before each drawing. According to the Virginia Lottery, retail sales stop at 10:45 p.m. Eastern on draw nights, and online sales at about 10:43 p.m.
Every $5 play is assigned a random multiplier of 2x, 3x, 4x, 5x or 10x, which applies to any non-jackpot prize. There's no separate Megaplier to buy, as there was before the game was redesigned in April 2025. Mega Millions one year after the overhaul looks at how the change has played out, and Powerball vs Mega Millions compares the two games.
How does Mega Millions work?
You pick five numbers from 1 to 70 and a Mega Ball from 1 to 24, or take a Quick Pick. Matching all six wins the jackpot, at odds of 1 in 290,472,336 according to the official Mega Millions rules. The other eight prize tiers run from $10 for the Mega Ball alone (with the minimum 2x multiplier) up to $10 million for five white balls with a 10x multiplier. After a jackpot is won, it resets to $50 million. The full prize chart is on Mega Millions ways to win, and the rules are on how to play Mega Millions.
How do you check Virginia Mega Millions numbers?
Our Mega Millions results page shows the latest numbers, jackpot and cash value. It's fed by an automated results service that we check every two minutes, so numbers usually appear shortly after the 11:00 p.m. drawing. Virginia's own games, such as Pick 3, Pick 4 and Cash 5, are on the Virginia lottery results page. Before you act on a possible win, confirm it with the Virginia Lottery or by scanning the ticket at a retailer or in the app. Where Virginia lottery results are posted lists the official channels.
What happens if you win Mega Millions in Virginia?
Draw-game tickets expire 180 days after the drawing, so the clock starts the night your numbers are drawn.
Where you claim depends on the amount, according to the Virginia Lottery's claim rules. Retailers may cash prizes of $600 or less. Prizes up to $5,000 can be claimed in the Virginia Lottery app. Anything larger is claimed at one of the Lottery's customer service centers. Prizes over $100 require government-issued photo ID and Social Security documentation. The step-by-step claim guide has a general checklist.
On prizes over $5,000, the Lottery withholds 24% federal and 4% Virginia income tax before paying you. Withholding isn't the final bill: a jackpot winner's federal rate tops out at 37%, so more is usually due at filing. The federal and state tax breakdown works through the numbers.
Since July 1, 2026, Virginia law (Code of Virginia § 58.1-4029) bars the Lottery from disclosing an individual winner's identity unless the winner consents in writing. The Virginia Lottery says that means it won't release the winner's name, hometown or amount won without permission. This applies to every prize amount. Other states' rules are compared in the anonymous lottery winners guide.
A jackpot winner chooses between the annuity (one payment now, then 29 annual payments that each rise by 5%) and a lump-sum cash payment. See lump sum vs annuity.
All Virginia Lottery profits have gone to K-12 public education since 1999; the Lottery reports $914 million for fiscal year 2026.
Virginia Mega Millions questions
What time is the Mega Millions drawing in Virginia?
Tuesday and Friday at 11:00 p.m. Eastern. Virginia retail sales close at 10:45 p.m. on draw nights, and online sales at about 10:43 p.m.
How much does a Mega Millions ticket cost in Virginia?
$5 per play. Each ticket includes a random 2x to 10x multiplier that applies to all non-jackpot prizes.
Can you play Mega Millions online in Virginia?
Yes. The Virginia Lottery sells Mega Millions at valottery.com and in its app to players who are at least 18 and physically in Virginia.
What taxes does Virginia take from Mega Millions winnings?
On prizes over $5,000, the Lottery withholds 24% federal and 4% Virginia tax. Large winners usually owe more federal tax when they file, since the top rate is 37%.
How long do you have to claim a Mega Millions prize in Virginia?
180 days from the drawing. After that the ticket expires.
Can you stay anonymous if you win Mega Millions in Virginia?
Yes. Since July 1, 2026, the Virginia Lottery can't disclose an individual winner's identity without the winner's written consent, whatever the prize amount.
If gambling stops being fun, the national helpline is 1-800-MY-RESET.
Sources: Virginia Lottery Mega Millions page; Virginia Lottery claim rules; Code of Virginia § 58.1-4029; Mega Millions how to play.
