Didn't Win Big in Mega Millions? Don't Throw Out That Ticket

If you didn't win the $640 million pot Friday night in the Mega Millions drawing, then be sure to check your tickets carefully.

You could still have won something. It may not be millions and millions, but it may be as little as $2.

The Mega Millions website lists the prizes along with nine ways to win.

Here's the breakdown and what you could win:

• Match all five numbers plus the Megaball number gives you the jackpot
  
  
• Match all five numbers and no Megaball number = $250,000
  
  
• Match four of the five numbers and the Megaball number = $10,000
  
  
• Match four of the five numbers and no Megaball number = $150
  
  
• Match three of five numbers and the Megaball number = $150
  
  
• Match three of the five numbers and no Megaball = $7
  
  
• Match two numbers and the Megaball number = $10
  
  
• Match one number and the Megaball number = $3
  
  
• Match just the Megaball number = $2

If you win the jackpot, you can choose 26 annual payments. For every $1 million in the jackpot, you get about $38,500 per year before taxes.

So, the winner of $640 million can get about $24.6 million a year before taxes.

A second option is to take a one-time, lump-sum payment equal to the cash in the jackpot pool.

Chances of winning the jackpot are 1 in 175,711,536. Overall chances of winning a prize are 1 in 40.

And those winning numbers again, in order of the drawing: 46 23 38 4 2 Megaball 23