DFW, Texas United States
Member #78,626
August 18, 2009
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Quote: Originally posted by savagegoose on Jan 2, 2011
what i find most strange is that the megaplier is a side bet, ran soley by the state. the dollar is theirs, and the costs of paying winners is theirs.
you would think that as its extra money jusdt for the states they would drop all advertising of the main game and try and get every punter playing the megaplier.
As I understand it, the Megaplier, and Powerplay, dollars go entirely to the state. They don't send 35, or whatever it is, percent to the central collection point for the jackpot pool. I've seen information online suggesting that the multiplier dollars are more profitable than the game dollars. However, you can't play Megaplier without playing Mega Millions, and you can't play Powerplay without playing Powerball. So these possibly more profitable multipliers are entirely dependent on the games they're a part of.
In Texas, for a while when you would buy a Mega Millions ticket, the clerk would be prompted by the terminal to ask if you wanted to Megaply. That annoyed me because the playslip has a box to fill in if you want to. If I had wanted to, I'd have filled in the box. But, then, it annoys me when people ask if I want french fries. If I had, I would have told you already. Fortunately, the terminal no longer includes that prompt. I play for the jackpot, so I never get the multiplier. I'd rather spend that dollar on another chance at the jackpot.
Texas United States
Member #92,326
June 5, 2010
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Quote: Originally posted by Longarm on Jan 2, 2011
Since Megaplier is not a core part of the game, as Powerplay is a core part of its game, there may be different ways it's been used; there are differences in whether it was used at all. We know that the automatic 1 million has not been used in Texas, as the payout records show. It may be that some state does have the automatic million, and someone saw that and assumed it was system-wide, and then put it on Wikipedia.
When the games expanded last year, the Wisconsin lottery web site said: "If you match all numbers except the Mega Ball, you win $250,000. If you added Megaplier and your prize is $250,000, you would win $1,000,000 - just by adding Megaplier!" I wrote an e-mail and they replied saying that this was not correct, and corrected the web site. Even the lotteries themselves have made that mistake.
Basically it seems like nobody really knows for sure how it was, since that shows the state lottery's aren't entirely sure of what's on their own website.
As you said in your later post that you play for jackpot, same here, so the Megaplier stuff doesn't affect me. With how little I ever get back if I spent double for the Megaplier I would just be even more down, and I too would rather have those extra numbers than $2 per line where nothing hits.
North Carolina United States
Member #64,580
September 1, 2008
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Quote: Originally posted by Longarm on Jan 1, 2011
That's lovely how lottery winners have a tax penalty for living in Maryland. It makes me wonder about buying tickets in other states, particularly Pennsylvania and Delaware, which have no such taxes (and aren't far away), and moving to that state before claiming a large prize. I don't know if that would work, but it's something I'd look into if I lived in such a state.
Each state has rules about payment options. In Texas, the payment option must be selected when the ticket is purchased (if no option is selected, the annual payments option is selected by default). As I understand, that is an uncommon rule.
Yeah, I did notice before I went up to PA for a visit - I checked the website and if you live there, you don't pay taxes on lottery winnings, which is completely different from when I used to live there! But if you don't live there, you pay the full taxes on it.
Now, Longarm, I didn't even think of the option of moving there (good idea!) to avoid paying the taxes, but I could see them (the PA lottery) checking to see when you "moved" there and if it was after winning the money. But you are right - it wouldn't hurt to look into it!
"Don't be a schmuck, always take the cash." -Coin Toss
Kentucky United States
Member #32,651
February 14, 2006
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Quote: Originally posted by dk1421 on Jan 2, 2011
Yeah, I did notice before I went up to PA for a visit - I checked the website and if you live there, you don't pay taxes on lottery winnings, which is completely different from when I used to live there! But if you don't live there, you pay the full taxes on it.
Now, Longarm, I didn't even think of the option of moving there (good idea!) to avoid paying the taxes, but I could see them (the PA lottery) checking to see when you "moved" there and if it was after winning the money. But you are right - it wouldn't hurt to look into it!
There are some states where jackpot winners pay no state taxes, but they all pay federal taxes. If you buy your tickets in one of those states, but live in another, you'll probably have to pay state taxes in your state.
Texas United States
Member #55,887
October 23, 2007
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Well on Tx Lottery website they finally have a banner on the home page about the million dollar prize with the megaplier. I found other info on it in the Mega Millions how to play page the other day, but this is the first time thay are actively promoting it on the website.
Maybe they decided to wait until the big jackpot was hit before promoting it.