Money Ball Review

If you have dreamt of becoming a millionaire one day, then this could be the best opportunity for you. The $1,000,000 Money Ball is an excellent avenue to usher you into the clubs of millionaires. Each week, this game gives you two chances to win this huge jackpot and the best of all is that it is fun and easy to play. It is a Virginia Lottery exclusive game where you pick five numbers that will determine whether you become a millionaire or live to try again.

The exciting element is that there is a gold million ball which if drawn before the rest of the 5 numbers, the top prize jumps to $1,000,000.

How to Play $1,000,000 Money Ball

This Virginia lottery game is offered in a number of outlets depending on where you are living. You can simply visit your nearest lottery outlet and request to play this game. The vendor will give you the $1,000,000 Money Ball playslip that has 5 panels or play areas from A to E. On each panel depending on the number of plays you want to participate in, you are to mark 5 numbers.

There are two ways of picking your numbers, the first is through Easy Pick where you request the clerk to pick the numbers for you through the computer terminal. This is a random number generation process which doesn’t have any added advantage, but it helps you spread your biases and risks of picking the same numbers each time. You can assign a given number of play areas to Easy Pick and the rest you do manual picking.

The manual picking process is totally dependent on you and your preferred numbers. Remember this is a lucky game and there is no guarantee of a win that is why you have to play responsibly. The total numbers in each panel is 35 out of which you only need to pick 5.

There is also an option for advance plays where you enter the same numbers for future draws. You can use a combination of Easy Pick and manual picking on the same playslip.

The cost per play is $2 and this means if you enter all the plays on a playslip, you will have to pay $10.

Your Ticket

Once you submit the numbers clearly marked on your playslip and the accompanying payment, you will get your ticket. The ticket will show you the number of draws you have entered and the respective dates for those draws. It also has the numbers you have picked and the amount you have paid for the ticket. Each ticket has a serial number which means it is unique and cannot be duplicated.

Ensure that all the details are correct before leaving the lottery location. It is also advisable that you sign your ticket at the back immediately you receive it because the ticket is a bearer document and whoever receives it can present it for payment as long as no any other person has signed it.

Drawings are held on Wednesdays and Saturdays starting 11 p.m.

Play Options

$1,000,000 Money Ball has a variety of play options available that you can take advantage of as you purchase your ticket. These options include:

  • Repeat plays option – If there are numbers that you love and you would want them for more than a single ticket, you can mark this option on the playslip so as to repeat your selection on more than a single ticket. Once you mark the repeat plays option, the system will prompt you to provide your choice.
  • Future play option – If you want to buy a ticket for a draw to be held in future, $1,000,000 Money Ball allows you to do so through this option. You will be prompted to give the future date which must be a Saturday or a Wednesday.
  • Multi-draw option – If you want to play the same numbers for more than a single draw, the multi-draw option gives you this liberty. What you need to do is to mark the multi-draw option box that is on your playslip. There is the 8+ box which, if you mark prompts you to provide the exact number of games. The price you will pay depends on the number of draws and plays you have been entered for.

Tickets for Money Ball sell up to 10.45 p.m. ET on draw nights. If you want to take part in a day’s draw, ensure you get your ticket before then. If you realize that your ticket has a mistake, inform the clerk at the terminal immediately so that it can be cancelled and re-issued. However, if you have purchased your ticket from a lottery vending machine, it can’t be cancelled. This is why you have to be very careful to ensure you use the playslip to get the ticket you really want.

The Odds of Winning Money Ball

If you match all the 5 numbers, you win $100,000. On the other hand, if you match all the 5 numbers in a draw where the gold million-dollar Money Ball is drawn first, you win $1,000,000. The odds of matching the 5 white balls is 1:376,992 whereas the odds of matching the 5 white balls and the gold million-dollar Money Ball is 1: 2,337,350.

Matching 4 out of the 5 white balls wins you $100 at odds of 1:2,164.

Matching 3 of the 5 white balls wins you $10 at odds of 1:75.

The last prize category has a prize of $2. To win, you have to match 2 of the 5 white balls at odds of 1:8.

Match Odds
5 white balls + Gold Million Dollar Money Ball 1 in 2,337,350
5 of 5 white balls 1 in 376,992
4 of 5 white balls 1 in 2,164
3 of 5 white balls 1 in 75
2 of 5 white balls 1 in 8

Money Ball Prize Breakdown

If you discover your ticket is a winning ticket, you should immediately sign it on the back if you have not already done so. Depending on your prize category, there are different ways of claiming your money.

If you win $600 or less, you can visit any Virginia Lottery retailer and get your cash. For security reasons, some retailers may not keep a lot of cash with them, but they may give you a check or money order.

Prizes of more than $600 should be claimed from Virginia Lottery customer service center or one of their prize zones. Ensure you have a valid government-issued photo ID and your social security number. You will need to fill a claim form at the customer service center or you can download it in advance from the official Virginia Lottery website.

If you are a non US citizen, but living within the US, you need to bring your green card, a government issued photo ID or Visa and an official document showing your social security number. Apart from physical claiming of cash, you can sign your ticket and simply mail it to the claim’s department of the Virginia Lottery.

Do not wait for too long because your tickets expire 180 days after the conclusion of the draw. Ensure you get your prizes before then.

Match Prize
5 white balls + Gold Million Dollar Money Ball $1,000,000
5 of 5 white balls $100,000
4 of 5 white balls $100
3 of 5 white balls $10
2 of 5 white balls $2

Money Ball Number Generator

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