Mega Millions after taxes in Mississippi
Mississippi's treatment of lottery prizes could not be fully confirmed against an official source (2026 rate confirmed from statute via PolicyEngine and Tax Foundation. Lottery-specific treatment (reported special 3% withholding) NOT confirmed.). The figures below use the best-supported rule and may change.
Mega Millions jackpot $300 million, winner living in Mississippi. Cash option $124.1 million.
You keep about
$73.3 million in cash, single filer
Seventy-three million two hundred sixty-nine thousand and 00/100 dollars
Jackpot data as of Sep 26, 2026, for the Tuesday, Sep 29 drawing.
| Item | Amount | Share of jackpot |
|---|---|---|
| Advertised jackpotSum of 30 annuity payments | $300,000,000 | |
| Cash optionOfficial cash value | $124,100,000 | |
| Federal tax withheld at claim24% of the prize | −$29,784,000 | |
| Federal tax still owed at filingTop bracket is 37% | −$16,083,000 | |
| Mississippi state tax4% of the prize | −$4,964,000 | |
| You keep24.4% of the advertised jackpot | $73,269,000 |
Mississippi cut its income tax rate to 4.0% on income over $10,000 for 2026. Whether the Mississippi Lottery applies a special rate to prizes could not be confirmed, so the 4.0% income tax rate is used.
Lump sum or annuity in Mississippi
| Cash option | Annuity (30 payments) | |
|---|---|---|
| Before tax | $124,100,000 | $300,000,000 |
| Total tax | −$50,831,000 | −$121,500,008 |
| You keep | $73,269,000 | $178,499,993 |
| In today's dollarsannuity discounted at 3% a year | $73,269,000 | $108,106,469 |
| When you get it | All at once | $2.7 million now, then yearly up to $11 million |
The annuity keeps $105.2 million more after tax in total but pays it over 29 years; the cash would need to earn 5.72% a year after tax to fund the same payments. How to think about the choice.
The 30 annuity payments
30 payments from $2.7 million to $11 million after tax
| Payment | Year | Before tax | Federal | State | After tax |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2026 | $4,515,431 | −$1,620,710 | −$180,617 | $2,714,104 |
| 2 | 2027 | $4,741,202 | −$1,704,245 | −$189,648 | $2,847,309 |
| 3 | 2028 | $4,978,262 | −$1,791,957 | −$199,130 | $2,987,174 |
| 4 | 2029 | $5,227,175 | −$1,884,055 | −$209,087 | $3,134,033 |
| 5 | 2030 | $5,488,534 | −$1,980,758 | −$219,541 | $3,288,235 |
| 6 | 2031 | $5,762,961 | −$2,082,296 | −$230,518 | $3,450,147 |
| 7 | 2032 | $6,051,109 | −$2,188,910 | −$242,044 | $3,620,154 |
| 8 | 2033 | $6,353,664 | −$2,300,856 | −$254,147 | $3,798,662 |
| 9 | 2034 | $6,671,347 | −$2,418,399 | −$266,854 | $3,986,095 |
| 10 | 2035 | $7,004,915 | −$2,541,819 | −$280,197 | $4,182,899 |
| 11 | 2036 | $7,355,161 | −$2,671,410 | −$294,206 | $4,389,544 |
| 12 | 2037 | $7,722,919 | −$2,807,480 | −$308,917 | $4,606,522 |
| 13 | 2038 | $8,109,064 | −$2,950,354 | −$324,363 | $4,834,348 |
| 14 | 2039 | $8,514,518 | −$3,100,372 | −$340,581 | $5,073,565 |
| 15 | 2040 | $8,940,244 | −$3,257,890 | −$357,610 | $5,324,743 |
| 16 | 2041 | $9,387,256 | −$3,423,285 | −$375,490 | $5,588,481 |
| 17 | 2042 | $9,856,619 | −$3,596,949 | −$394,265 | $5,865,405 |
| 18 | 2043 | $10,349,449 | −$3,779,297 | −$413,978 | $6,156,175 |
| 19 | 2044 | $10,866,922 | −$3,970,761 | −$434,677 | $6,461,484 |
| 20 | 2045 | $11,410,268 | −$4,171,799 | −$456,411 | $6,782,058 |
| 21 | 2046 | $11,980,781 | −$4,382,889 | −$479,231 | $7,118,661 |
| 22 | 2047 | $12,579,821 | −$4,604,534 | −$503,193 | $7,472,094 |
| 23 | 2048 | $13,208,812 | −$4,837,261 | −$528,352 | $7,843,199 |
| 24 | 2049 | $13,869,252 | −$5,081,624 | −$554,770 | $8,232,859 |
| 25 | 2050 | $14,562,715 | −$5,338,205 | −$582,509 | $8,642,001 |
| 26 | 2051 | $15,290,850 | −$5,607,615 | −$611,634 | $9,071,602 |
| 27 | 2052 | $16,055,393 | −$5,890,496 | −$642,216 | $9,522,682 |
| 28 | 2053 | $16,858,163 | −$6,187,520 | −$674,327 | $9,996,316 |
| 29 | 2054 | $17,701,071 | −$6,499,396 | −$708,043 | $10,493,632 |
| 30 | 2055 | $18,586,124 | −$6,826,866 | −$743,445 | $11,015,813 |
| Total | $300,000,000 | −$109,500,008 | −$12,000,000 | $178,499,993 | |
Full-page version with every state: Mega Millions annuity schedule for Mississippi.
How Mississippi compares
Mississippi ranks 21st of 51 for what a single winner keeps from this jackpot in cash ($73.3 million).
| State | State tax | Cash kept |
|---|---|---|
| Mississippi | 4% | $73.3 million |
| Alabama | 5% | $72 million |
| Arkansas | 3.7% | $73.6 million |
| Louisiana | 3% | $74.5 million |
| Tennessee | none | $78.2 million |
All 50 states and DC for this jackpot
Best states to win the lottery
Questions
How much is a $300 million Mega Millions jackpot after taxes in Mississippi?
About $73.3 million if you take the cash option ($124.1 million before taxes), or about $178.5 million in total over 30 annual payments if you take the annuity. Mississippi taxes the prize at 4%.
How much tax is taken out of lottery winnings in Mississippi?
At claim the lottery withholds 24% for federal tax on prizes over $5,000. We could not confirm Mississippi's withholding rate at claim; the full state tax is due by the time you file. On a jackpot this size the final federal bill is closer to 37% of the prize because most of it falls in the 37% bracket, so about $16.1 million more is owed when you file.
What is the Mississippi tax rate on lottery winnings?
4%. Mississippi taxes lottery prizes as income; a jackpot is taxed almost entirely at the top rate of 4%, which is about $5 million on the cash option.
Is it better to take the lump sum or annuity in Mississippi?
The annuity pays about $105.2 million more after taxes in total, spread over 29 years. The cash option comes out ahead only if you can earn more than 5.7% a year after tax on it. Many winners take the cash; the annuity protects against spending it too fast.
Which states do not tax lottery winnings?
Alaska, California, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, Wyoming do not tax lottery prizes (California only exempts prizes from tickets bought there). Among the 50 states and DC, Mississippi ranks 21st of 51 for what you keep from this jackpot.
These figures describe the taxes on a prize that has already been won; they are not a reason to buy a ticket. Jackpot odds are hundreds of millions to one. If gambling is causing problems for you or someone close to you, call or text 1-800-GAMBLER (National Problem Gambling Helpline, 24/7).
Sources for this page
- Mega Millions official site (current jackpot and cash value) (checked Sep 26, 2026)
- Report of the official jackpot estimate used here (checked Sep 26, 2026)
- IRS: 2026 inflation adjustments (Rev. Proc. 2025-32) (checked Sep 26, 2026)
- IRS Publication 505: withholding on gambling winnings (checked Sep 26, 2026)
- Mississippi: Miss. Code Ann. 27-7-5 (income tax rates) (checked Sep 26, 2026)
- Mississippi: Mississippi DOR: tax rates, exemptions and deductions (checked Sep 26, 2026)
- Mississippi: PolicyEngine-US parameters: MS income tax rate (4.0% from 2026-01-01) (checked Sep 26, 2026)
- New Mega Millions arrives in April (megamillions.com) (checked Sep 26, 2026)
- Mega Millions To Get MEGA Enhancements in April 2025 (megamillions.com) (checked Sep 26, 2026)
- Mega Millions Game Change FAQ (Illinois Lottery) (checked Sep 26, 2026)
Figures are estimates for planning, not tax or legal advice. How they are calculated: methodology. Read the disclaimer.