MEGA MILLIONS®.

 

DEPARTMENT OF THE LOTTERY

RULE NO.:RULE TITLE:

53ER13-32MEGA MILLIONS

SUMMARY: This emergency rule sets forth the provisions for the conduct of MEGA MILLIONS®.

THE PERSON TO BE CONTACTED REGARDING THE EMERGENCY RULE IS: Diane D. Schmidt, Legal Analyst, Department of the Lottery, 250 Marriott Drive, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-4011

 

THE FULL TEXT OF THE EMERGENCY RULE IS:

 

53ER13-32 MEGA MILLIONS®.

(1) Definitions.

The following words and terms, when used in this rule, have the following meanings, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:

(a) Annuity prize – A Jackpot Prize paid in twenty-six annual installments.

(b)Finance & Audit Committee- The committee established by the Multi-State Lottery Association Agreement.

(c) MEGA MILLIONS Lottery or Lotteries – Lotteries that have joined under the MEGA MILLIONS Lottery Agreement; the group of lotteries that has reached a Cross-Selling Agreement with the MUSL Product Group for the selling of the MEGA MILLIONS Game.

(d) MUSL – The Multi-State Lottery Association.

(e) MUSL Board – The governing body of MUSL which is comprised of the chief executive officer of each party lottery.

(f) Participating Lottery or Selling Lottery – A state lottery or lottery of a political subdivision or entity that is participating in selling the MEGA MILLIONS game.

(g) Party Lottery – A State lottery or lottery of a political subdivision or entity that has joined MUSL and, in the context of the MEGA MILLIONS Product Group Rules, that has joined in selling the games offered by the Product Group.

(h) Product Group – The group of lotteries that has joined together to offer the MEGA MILLIONS lottery game under the terms of its Cross-Selling Agreement with the MEGA MILLIONS Lotteries, the MUSL Agreement and the MUSL MEGA MILLIONS Product Group rules.

(i) Set prize – All prizes except the Jackpot Prize that are advertised to be paid by a single lump-sum payment and, except as set forth in paragraph (7)(f), will be equal to the prize amount established by the MUSL Board for the prize level.

(2) How to Play MEGA MILLIONS.

(a) MEGA MILLIONS is a multi-state lottery online terminal game. In MEGA MILLIONS, players select five numbers from a field of one through fifty-six and one number (the “Mega Ball”) from a separate field of one through forty-six.

(b) Players may make their ticket selections by marking a play slip or by telling the retailer their desired selections. There are five panels on a play slip, each containing an upper play area and a lower play area. Each panel played will cost $1.00 per drawing. Players may mark their desired numbers on the play slip by selecting five numbers in the upper play area and one number in the lower play area from each panel played. Players may also mark the “QP” (Quick Pick) box located at the bottom of each play area for the terminal to randomly select one or more numbers from the applicable play area. A “Void” box is also located at the bottom of each panel and should be marked by the player if an error was made in his or her selections in a panel. For each panel played, the first five of the six numbers appearing in a single horizontal row on a ticket shall be the numbers selected from the upper play area of the play slip, and the last number shall be the number selected from the lower play area of the play slip.

(c) For an additional $1.00 per play, players may mark the Megaplier® box to multiply the third through ninth prizes and increase the second prize. Megaplier will apply to all panels played.

(d) Players must use only blue or black ink or pencil for making selections. Play slips must be processed by a retailer in order to obtain a ticket. Retailers also are authorized to manually enter numbers selected by a player.

(e) Players may play up to twenty-six consecutive drawings by using the “advance play” feature. To use the advance play feature, players may either mark the number of drawings desired in the “Advance Play” section of a play slip or tell the retailer their desired number of consecutive advance drawings. The number of consecutive drawings marked will include the next available drawing and will apply to each panel (A-E) played.

(3) Drawings.

(a) MEGA MILLIONS drawings shall be conducted two times per week, on Tuesdays and Fridays at approximately 11:00 p.m. Eastern Time (ET).

(b) The Florida Lottery shall not be responsible for incorrect circulation, publication or broadcast of official winning numbers.

(4) Determination of Prize Winners.

In order for a ticket to be a winning ticket, numbers appearing in a single horizontal row on the ticket must match the official winning numbers in any order for the drawing date for which the ticket was purchased, in one of the following combinations:

(a) Jackpot Prize: Five numbers selected from the first set of balls plus the number selected from the second set of balls.

(b) Second Prize: Five numbers selected from the first set of balls and not the number selected from the second set of balls.

(c) Third Prize: Four numbers selected from the first set of balls plus the number selected from the second set of balls.

(d) Fourth Prize: Four numbers selected from the first set of balls and not the number selected from the second set of balls.

(e) Fifth Prize: Three numbers selected from the first set of balls plus the number selected from the second set of balls.

(f) Sixth Prize: Two numbers selected from the first set of balls plus the number selected from the second set of balls.

(g) Seventh Prize: Three numbers selected from the first set of balls and not the number selected from the second set of balls.

(h) Eighth Prize: One number selected from the first set of balls plus the number selected from the second set of balls.

(i) Ninth Prize: No numbers selected from the first set of balls and the number selected from the second set of balls.

(5) Limited to Highest Prize Won. The holder of a winning ticket may win only one prize per play in connection with the winning numbers drawn, and shall be entitled only to the prize won by those numbers in the highest matching prize category.

(6) Odds of Winning.

(a) The odds of winning the prizes described in subsection (4) are as follows:

1. Jackpot Prize- 1:175,711,536.00

2. Second Prize- 1:3,904,700.80

3. Third Prize- 1:689,064.85

4. Fourth Prize- 1:15,312.55

5. Fifth Prize- 1:13,781.30

6. Sixth Prize- 1:843.75

7. Seventh Prize- 1:306.25

8. Eighth Prize- 1:140.63

9. Ninth Prize- 1:74.80

(b) The overall odds of winning a prize in a MEGA MILLIONS drawing are 1:39.89.

(7)  Prize Pool.

(a) Prize Pool. The prize pool for all categories shall consist of up to fifty-five percent of each drawing period’s sales after the prize reserve accounts are funded to the amounts set by the Product Group, but may be higher or lower based upon the number of winners at each prize level, as well as the funding required to meet a guaranteed annuity prize.

(b) Prize Reserve Accounts. An amount up to five percent of a Party Lottery’s sales shall be added to a Party Lottery’s Jackpot Prize Pool contribution and placed in trust in one or more prize reserve accounts held by the Product Group at any time that the Party Lottery’s share of the prize reserve account(s) is below the amounts designated by the Product Group. The maximum amount of the prize reserve account is $45,000,000.00. The Product Group may determine to expend all or a portion of the funds in the reserve accounts for:

1. the purpose of indemnifying the Participating Lotteries in the payment of prizes to be made by the Participating Lotteries, subject to the approval of the MUSL Board; and

2. for the payment of prizes or special prizes in the game, subject to the approval of the Finance and Audit Committee.

The shares of a Party Lottery may be adjusted with refunds to the Party Lottery from the prize reserve account(s) as may be needed to maintain the approved maximum balance and shares of the Party Lotteries.  Any amount remaining in a prize reserve account at the end of this game shall be carried forward to a replacement prize reserve account or expended in a manner as directed by the Product Group in accordance with jurisdictional law.

(c) Expected Prize Payout Percentages.

The Jackpot Prize shall be determined on a pari-mutuel basis. Except as provided in these rules, all other prizes awarded shall be paid as set prizes with the following expected prize payout percentages, that does not include an additional amount held in prize reserves:

 

			Approximate Percentage of
Tickets Containing the Following	Prize	Prize	Winnings Pool Allocated
in a Single Horizontal Row	Category	Payment	to Prize Category
Five first set numbers and the one number of the second set	Jackpot Prize	Jackpot Prize	63.60%
Five first set numbers and none of the second set	Second Prize	$250,000.00	12.80%
Four first set numbers and the one number of the second set	Third Prize	$10,000.00	2.90%
Four first set numbers and none of the second set	Fourth Prize	$150.00	1.96%
Three first set numbers and the one number of the second set	Fifth Prize	$150.00	2.18%
Two first set numbers and the one number of the second set	Sixth Prize	$10.00	2.38%
Three first set numbers and none of the second set	Seventh Prize	$7.00	4.58%
One first set number and the one number of the second set	Eighth Prize	$3.00	4.26%
None of the first set numbers and the one number of the second set	Ninth Prize	$2.00	5.34%

 

(d) Prize money allocated to the Jackpot Prize category will be paid on a pari-mutuel basis, divided equally by the number of plays determined to be winners of the Jackpot Prize.

(e) The number of plays determined to be winners of the Second through Ninth Prize levels will be paid as set prizes, except as provided in paragraph (7)(f) below.  If all or any portion of the set prize pool is not awarded in the current MEGA MILLIONS drawing, that portion of the set prize pool shall be carried forward to subsequent MEGA MILLIONS drawings.

(f) Liability Cap. If the total prize liability for all lotteries selling MEGA MILLIONS (exclusive of any jackpot prize carried forward) exceeds three hundred percent of drawing sales or fifty percent of drawing sales plus $50,000,000.00, whichever is less (both hereinafter referred to as the “Liability Cap”), the Second through Fifth Prizes shall be paid on a pari-mutuel basis, provided, however, that in no event shall the pari-mutuel prize be greater than the official advertised prize. The amount to be used for the allocation of such pari-mutuel prizes (two through five) shall be the Liability Cap less the amount paid for the jackpot prize and prize levels six through nine. To fund their portion of the Liability Cap, the Party Lotteries may utilize the following sources:

1. The amount allocated to the set prizes, including any Megaplier prizes, and carried forward from previous draws, if any; and

2. An amount from the prize reserve account.

(g) In the event the Liability Cap is met, the amount to fund the Jackpot Prize together with the amounts to fund prize levels six through nine shall be first paid from the Liability Cap amount. The balance of the Liability Cap, after deducting the Jackpot Prize and payment for prize levels six through nine (hereinafter referred to as the "Liability Cap Balance"), shall be applied to prize levels two through five on a pari-mutuel basis in accordance with the following formula:

1. Prize level two (normally $250,000.00) shall be an amount equal to 64.53% of the Liability Cap Balance divided by the number of winners in prize level two;

2. Prize level three (normally $10,000.00) shall be an amount equal to 14.63% of the Liability Cap Balance divided by the number of winners in prize level three; and

3. Prize levels four and five (normally $150.00) shall be an amount equal to 20.84% of the Liability Cap Balance divided by the number of combined winners in prize levels four and five.

(h) Any interest or earnings accrued on a set prize prior to prize payment shall accrue to the State of Florida and not to the winner.

(8) Jackpot Prize.

(a) The prize money available in the Jackpot Prize pool will be divided equally among all jackpot prize winners in all participating lotteries. Jackpot prizes won shall be funded by the Selling Lotteries in accordance with the formula set by the MEGA MILLIONS Lotteries. The minimum guaranteed annuity prize amount is $12 million. If the Jackpot Prize is not won in a drawing, the prize money allocated for the Jackpot Prize shall roll over and be added to the Jackpot Prize pool for the following drawing.

(b) Players can choose one of two payment options for receiving their portion of the MEGA MILLIONS Jackpot Prize. Payment options are “Cash Option” and “Annual Payment.”

(c) Jackpot Prize winners have sixty days after the winning draw date to choose between the two payment options. Once the Jackpot Prize winner signs the Winner Claim Form, files a claim and exercises the winner's chosen option, the election of that option shall be final and cannot be revoked, withdrawn or otherwise changed except as provided in paragraph (8)(j) below.

(d) In order to select the Cash Option, the Jackpot Prize winner must submit his or her ticket for payment within sixty days after the winning draw date. If the Jackpot Prize winner does not elect the Cash Option within sixty days after the winning draw date, the Annual Payment option will be applied, except as provided in paragraph (8)(g) below.

(e) A Jackpot Prize winner who chooses the Cash Option will receive the cash option amount determined by the Product Group, less applicable withholding taxes.

(f) If a Jackpot Prize winner elects the Annual Payment option, his or her share of the Jackpot Prize will be paid in twenty-six equal annual installments, each less applicable withholding taxes. The initial payment shall be paid upon completion of internal validation procedures. The subsequent twenty-five payments shall be paid annually to coincide with the month of the Federal auction date at which the bonds were purchased to fund the annuity. All such payments shall be made within seven days of the anniversary of the annual auction date. MUSL shall purchase securities through a competitive purchase with a minimum of three primary brokerage firms of its choice.

(g) If individual winners’ shares of the cash held to fund Annual Payments are less than $250,000.00, the Product Group, in its sole discretion, may elect to pay the winners their share of the cash held in the Jackpot Prize pool.

(h) Annuitized payment of the Jackpot Prize or a share of the Jackpot Prize will be rounded to the nearest one thousand dollars to facilitate the purchase of an appropriate funding mechanism. Rounding differences on an annuitized Jackpot Prize win shall be added to the first cash payment to the winner or winners. Prizes other than the Jackpot Prize, which under this rule may become single-payment, pari-mutuel prizes, will be rounded down so that prizes can be paid in multiples of whole dollars. Rounding differences resulting from rounding these prizes shall be carried forward to the prize pool for the next drawing.

(i) The Florida Lottery will make the initial and any subsequent payments of a prize upon receipt of funds for such prize from MUSL.

(j) In the event of the death during the annuity payment period of a MEGA MILLIONS winner who elected the Annual Payment option, the estate of the deceased winner (the “Estate”) may file a petition with the Florida Lottery to accelerate payment of all the remaining prize proceeds to the Estate. Such petition will be forwarded by the Florida Lottery to MUSL for processing.

(k) Federal income taxes shall be applied and withheld from the prize amount at the time payment is made, pursuant to applicable provisions of the Internal Revenue Code and Code of Federal Regulations.

(l) Any interest or earnings accrued on a MEGA MILLIONS Jackpot Prize prior to prize payment shall accrue to MUSL and not to the winner.

(9) MEGA MILLIONS Megaplier®.

(a) The Megaplier option shall be available in association with the MEGA MILLIONS game.

(b) At the time of purchasing a ticket, a player may choose the Megaplier feature for an additional $1.00 per play for each play on the MEGA MILLIONS ticket to increase the guaranteed prize amount for the second through ninth tier prizes.

(c) Megaplier drawing. A separate random Megaplier drawing will occur before every MEGA MILLIONS drawing to determine one multiplier number for that drawing. The multiplier number that will be selected will be either, a 2, 3, or 4. The multiplier number drawn will be used to multiply the value of the prizes for the third through ninth tiers. In the event the multiplier drawing does not occur prior to the MEGA MILLIONS drawing, the multiplier number will be a 4. The multiplier number may also be referred to as the Megaplier number.

(d) The following table sets forth the probability of the various multiplier numbers being drawn during a single Megaplier drawing.

 

Multiplier	Probability of Prize Increase
4X	12 in 21
3X	7 in 21
2X	2 in 21
Multiplier numbers do not apply to the MEGA MILLIONS Jackpot Prize or to the Match 5+0 Prize.

 

(e) Application of multiplier number.

1. Third through Ninth Prizes. The multiplier number selected is the number that is used to increase the prize amount, for the Third through the Ninth Prizes. A Third through the Ninth Prize winner who purchases the Megaplier feature with his or her MEGA MILLIONS ticket shall be paid a prize in the amount of the guaranteed prize amount multiplied by the multiplier number for that drawing.

2. Second Prize. The Second Prize for a winning MEGA MILLIONS with Megaplier ticket will always be a $1,000,000.00 prize, except as provided in (9)(i) and (l). The multiplier number drawn does not apply to, affect or alter the Second Prize.

3. Jackpot Prize. The Megaplier feature does not apply to the Jackpot Prize.

(f) On occasion, the Product Group may change one or more of the multiplier numbers and/or the Match 5+0 Megaplier prize amount for special promotions.

(g) MEGA MILLIONS tickets that win the Second through Ninth Prizes with the Megaplier option will pay the amounts shown below:

 

Match	Prize	Without Megaplier	With Megaplier 2X	With Megaplier 3X	With Megaplier 4X
Match 5+0	Second	$250,000.00	1,000,000.00	1,000,000.00	$1,000,000.00
Match 4+1	Third	10,000.00	$20,000.00	$30,000.00	$40,000.00
Match 4+0	Fourth	$150.00	$300.00	$450.00	$600.00
Match 3+1	Fifth	$150.00	$300.00	$450.00	$600.00
Match 2+1	Sixth	$10.00	$20.00	$30.00	$40.00
Match 3+0	Seventh	$7.00	$14.00	$21.00	$28.00
Match 1+1	Eighth	$3.00	$6.00	$9.00	$12.00
Match 0+1	Ninth	$2.00	$4.00	$6.00	$8.00

 

(h) The prize pool for Megaplier set prizes shall consist of up to fifty-five percent of each drawing period’s sales as determined by the Product Group. The prize pool percentage allocated to Megaplier set prizes shall be carried forward to subsequent drawings if all or a portion of the percentage is not required to pay the set prizes for the current drawing or may be held in a prize reserve account.

(i) In certain rare instances, the MEGA MILLIONS set prize amount may be less than the amount shown. In such case, the seven lowest Megaplier prizes will be a multiple of the changed MEGA MILLIONS prize amount announced after the draw.  For example, if the Match 4+1 MEGA MILLIONS set prize amount of $10,000.00 becomes $5,000.00 under the rules of the MEGA MILLIONS game, a Megaplier player winning that prize amount with a 4X multiplier would win $20,000.00 ($5,000.00 x 4). The Match 5+0 prize with the Megaplier option, that normally pays $1,000,000.00, will be reduced by the same percentage that the Match 5+0 $250,000.00 prize is reduced.

(j) If, with respect to a single MEGA MILLIONS drawing, the total of the MEGA MILLIONS set prizes and the Megaplier prizes awarded in a drawing exceeds the percentage of the prize pools allocated to the set prizes, the amount needed to fund the set prizes (including Megaplier prize amounts) shall be drawn from the following sources in the following order:

1. The amount allocated to the set prizes (including Megaplier prize amounts) and carried forward from previous drawings, if any.

2. An amount from the MEGA MILLIONS set prize reserve account not to exceed the lesser of three hundred percent of drawing sales or fifty percent of drawing sales plus $50,000,000.

(k) If the sources set forth in paragraph (9)(j) are depleted and there still are not sufficient funds to pay the set prizes for a particular MEGA MILLIONS drawing (including Megaplier prize amounts), then the prize levels two   through five shall become a pari-mutuel prize, as set out in paragraph (7)(g). The MEGA MILLIONS and Megaplier prize pools shall be combined in the rare instance when the set prizes, pursuant to the rules, are paid on a pari-mutuel basis, so that the multipliers, as provided for in the rules, will remain in effect for all applicable prize levels. The Match 5+0 prizes may be reduced as announced by the Product Group.

(l) MEGA MILLIONS set prizes that become pari-mutuel will be rounded down so that they can be paid in multiples of whole dollars. Funds remaining after rounding shall be carried forward to the prize pool for the next MEGA MILLIONS drawing.

(m) MEGA MILLIONS with Megaplier prizes shall be paid in single, lump-sum payment.

(10) Rules and Prohibitions.

(a) By purchasing a MEGA MILLIONS ticket, a player agrees to comply with and abide by all rules of the Florida Lottery.

(b) Florida prizes shall be claimed only through a Florida Lottery retailer or Lottery office beginning on the day following the drawing. The Florida Lottery is not authorized to accept claims or pay prizes for MEGA MILLIONS tickets purchased in other jurisdictions. MEGA MILLIONS prize payments shall be made in accordance with rules of the Florida Lottery governing payment of prizes. A copy of the current rule can be obtained from the Florida Lottery, Office of the General Counsel, 250 Marriott Drive, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-4011.

(c) Subject to a retailer’s hours of operation and on-line system availability, MEGA MILLIONS lottery tickets are available for purchase daily between the hours of 6:00 a.m. and 12:00 midnight, ET. Ticket sales for a specific MEGA MILLIONS drawing will close at 10:00 p.m., ET, on the night of the drawing. Any ticket sold after the close of game will be printed with the next MEGA MILLIONS drawing date.

(d) MEGA MILLIONS tickets cannot be canceled.

(11) The effective date of this emergency rule is May 15, 2013.

Rulemaking Authority 24.105(9)(a), (b), (c), (e), (f), (h), 24.109(1), 24.115(1) FS. Law Implemented, 24.105(9)(a), (b), (c) (e), (f), (h), 24.115(1), 24.116(1), 24.117(2), 24.124(1) FS. History–New 5-15-13.

 

THIS RULE TAKES EFFECT UPON BEING FILED WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE UNLESS A LATER TIME AND DATE IS SPECIFIED IN THE RULE.

EFFECTIVE DATE: May 15, 2013