<br><div><aside aria-label="advertisement" class="gnt_m gnt_x gnt_x__bv"/><aside aria-label="advertisement" class="gnt_m gnt_x gnt_x__bvd gnt_x__h"/><aside class="gnt_em gnt_em__fp gnt_em_vp__tp gnt_em__el" aria-label="Video - What to do if you win the Powerball or Mega Millions jackpot"><div class="gnt_em_vp_w" data-g-r="vp_tp" data-c-vt="exco" data-t-pl="teal-hero"><button class="gnt_em_vp_a gnt_em_vp__tp_a" data-g-r="vp_ap vp_tg" data-c-vpattrs="{"muted":true,"bContent":false,"an":"usatoday","pn":"USA TODAY","vidNum":0,"docking":true,"exid":"7a94a662-d8e9-49a7-aeba-e8a15c79f0f2","plcmt":"2","iu":"/7103/usatoday/preroll_video/","cut":1}" data-c-vpdata="{"adsEnabled":true,"awsPath":"news","byline":"Just the FAQs","canonicalURL":"","contentSourceCode":"USAT","credit":"Just the FAQs, USA TODAY","duration":73000,"headline":"What to do if you win the Powerball or Mega Millions jackpot","hlsURL":"https://hlsmedia.gannett-cdn.com/authoring/video-renditions/5ae5f407-cdf8-463d-8707-bc5991cad420/b9d1e2a9-0faa-4d42-bb1a-25ab9a823f5f/1080p_30fps,720p_30fps,480p_30fps,master.m3u8?subtitles=8268163001","id":"8268163001","image":{"opto":true,"url":"/gcdn/presto/2022/11/04/USAT/aa912ac8-b545-43f1-94af-ca846d6fe9f0-WWKN_RectThumb_PHOTO.png"},"keywords":"Lotteries,Just the FAQs,Powerball (game),Mega Millions,Video Syndication - USAT,Video Syndication - OTT Platforms","mp4URL":"https://downloadmedia.gannett-cdn.com/authoring/video-renditions/5ae5f407-cdf8-463d-8707-bc5991cad420/b9d1e2a9-0faa-4d42-bb1a-25ab9a823f5f/1080p_30fps.mp4","origin":"USA TODAY","pageURL":{"long":"https://www.usatoday.com/videos/news/justthefaqs/2022/11/04/what-do-if-you-win-lottery-jackpot/8268163001/"},"promoBrief":"Here's what to know in case you win the Powerball or Mega Millions jackpot.","propertyName":"USATODAY","series":"","ssts":{"section":"news","subsection":"justthefaqs","topic":"","subtopic":""},"tags":[{"id":"975b7a38-9874-4195-93fd-dce0cb0e542b","name":"Lotteries"},{"id":"57e0b16a-bbb7-4a12-8271-660519cd392a","name":"Just the FAQs"},{"id":"85b6f5a6-b278-4bac-af8e-9fd4b2f73836","name":"Powerball (game)"},{"id":"9340d5aa-fd7a-4b63-b444-ebea40760bd3","name":"Mega Millions"},{"id":"6f55135f-3b5e-490d-8a52-a3b8e1f11ee7","name":"Video Syndication - USAT"},{"id":"16fe9f9b-4247-4e2e-a73c-9fac5b14d01b","name":"Video Syndication - OTT Platforms"}],"title":"Powerball, Mega Millions jackpots: What to know in case you win","url":"/videos/news/justthefaqs/2022/11/04/what-do-if-you-win-lottery-jackpot/8268163001/"}" aria-label="Play video"><img alt="" class="gnt_em_vp_img" src="https://www.usatoday.com/gcdn/authoring/authoring-images/2024/12/26/USAT/77240649007-usatsi-25051840.jpg?crop=1023,576,x0,y0&width=660&height=371&format=pjpg&auto=webp" data-g-r="vp_po" fetchpriority="high" elementtiming="ar-lead-image" decoding="async"/><svg class="gnt_em_vp_svg"><use xlink:href="#gnt_svg_video_play"/></svg></button></div></aside><p class="gnt_ar_b_p">Whether you bought a ticket yourself or got some as a stocking stuffer, could that <a target="_blank" href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/lottery/2024/12/26/friday-mega-millions-drawing-jackpot-1-billion/77235518007/" data-t-l=":b|e|k|${u}" class="gnt_ar_b_a">$1.15 billion Mega Millions jackpot</a> have your name on it? The odds may be against you − like 1 in 302.6 million − but that doesn't mean you can't prepare.</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p">If there is a winner, Mega Millions jackpot would be the fifth-largest jackpot in Mega Millions history, making the take-home prize a lump-sum payment of an estimated $516.1 million after taxes. How do you even begin to get ready for a windfall like that?</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p">The <a target="_blank" href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/personalfinance/2024/03/19/mega-millions-jackpot-what-to-do-if-win/73022683007/" data-type="link" data-id="https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/personalfinance/2024/03/19/mega-millions-jackpot-what-to-do-if-win/73022683007/" data-t-l=":b|e|k|${u}" class="gnt_ar_b_a">"smartest thing"</a> you can do, in the event that you do win, is keep calm and carry on, financial advisers shared with <a target="_blank" href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/personalfinance/2024/03/19/mega-millions-jackpot-what-to-do-if-win/73022683007/" data-type="link" data-id="https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/personalfinance/2024/03/19/mega-millions-jackpot-what-to-do-if-win/73022683007/" data-t-l=":b|e|k|${u}" class="gnt_ar_b_a">USA TODAY</a> back in March. And avoid posting any and all details of your win on social media.</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p">"If you’re lucky enough to win the lottery, keep it quiet," Rob Burnette, an Ohio-based financial adviser at Outlook Financial Center. "Get organized and make a plan. Consider staying anonymous, if it’s a possibility.”</p><figure class="gnt_em gnt_em_img"><img class="gnt_em_img_i" style="height:440px" fetchpriority="high" data-g-r="lazy" src="https://www.usatoday.com/gcdn/authoring/authoring-images/2024/12/26/USAT/77240649007-usatsi-25051840.jpg?width=660&height=440&fit=crop&format=pjpg&auto=webp" decoding="async" alt="A woman crosses her fingers after purchasing a Mega Millions lottery ticket."/></figure><aside class="gnt_em gnt_em_cp gnt_em_cp__sp" aria-label="Recent lottery and gambling winners in the US" data-c-cta="TALK ABOUT LUCKY"><div class="gnt_em_cp_cw"><img class="gnt_em_cp_cw_i" data-g-r="lazy" src="https://www.usatoday.com/gcdn/authoring/authoring-images/2024/12/12/USAT/76949897007-1585893317.jpg?crop=4913,3684,x0,y0&width=258&height=193&format=pjpg&auto=webp" srcset="https://www.usatoday.com/gcdn/authoring/authoring-images/2024/12/12/USAT/76949897007-1585893317.jpg?crop=4913,https://www.usatoday.com/3684,https://www.usatoday.com/x0,https://www.usatoday.com/y0&width=516&height=386&format=pjpg&auto=webp 2x" decoding="async" alt=""/></div></aside><h2 class="gnt_ar_b_h2">Who, if anyone, do I tell about my Mega Millions win?</h2><p class="gnt_ar_b_p">If you find yourself in a situation where you stand to inherit millions of dollars, the best people to get in touch with financial experts right off the bat so scammers don't get the chance to bleed you dry before you even get the chance to cash in.</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p"><strong>Holiday deals:</strong> <a target="_blank" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-t-l=":body nav (shop)|e|auto spike click:8|${u}" class="gnt_ar_b_a" href="https://www.usatoday.com/shopping/">Shop this season’s top products and sales curated by our editors.</a></p><aside aria-label="advertisement" class="gnt_m gnt_x gnt_x__lbl gnt_x__al"/><p class="gnt_ar_b_p">"Crooks usually try to get you to wire money for 'taxes' or 'fees,' or may try to get you to provide them with a bank account number, which they will then clean out," Mega Millions...</p></div> <style> .wrapper { text-align: center; } </style> <div class="wrapper"> <a class="button" href ="https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/personalfinance/2024/12/26/what-to-do-mega-miliions-jackpot-winner/77238184007/">Read more <span>➤</span></a> </div>
