You’re standing in line at a gas station in Murfreesboro or maybe a grocery store in Memphis, staring at that neon sign. The jackpot is climbing again. It’s a familiar sight for anyone living in the Volunteer State. You buy the ticket, tuck it into your wallet, and then life happens. You forget.
Until you don't.
Checking the mega millions winning numbers tn can feel like a chore if you don't know where to look or how the rules actually work in Tennessee. Honestly, most people just assume they’ll hear about it on the news if they win. But what about those smaller prizes? Those "life-changer" amounts that aren't quite hundreds of millions but could definitely pay off the mortgage?
The Latest Numbers and What They Mean
If you played for the Tuesday, January 13, 2026, drawing, you're looking for these specific digits: 16, 40, 56, 64, 66 and the Mega Ball was 4.
The jackpot for that run was sitting at a cool $230 million. Nobody hit the big one, so we’re looking at an even bigger pile of cash for the next drawing on Friday, January 16. It’s expected to jump significantly.
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Tennessee players have a bit of a love-affair with the Megaplier, too. If you paid that extra buck, you saw a 2X multiplier on Tuesday. That basically doubles any non-jackpot prize. If you matched four white balls and the Mega Ball, instead of $10,000, you’re looking at $20,000. It’s a small price for a massive potential upside.
Why Tennessee Rules Are Different
Lottery rules aren't universal. You’ve probably seen stories of winners in other states staying anonymous.
Not here.
In Tennessee, the law is pretty clear. If you win a significant amount, your name, hometown, and the amount you won are public record. The Tennessee Education Lottery Corporation is required to release this info if someone asks for it through a public records request. You can refuse the big photo op with the giant check—kinda—but you can't really hide from the paper trail.
Wait. There’s more.
If you’re one of our neighbors from Alabama driving over the line to Fayetteville or Ardmore to buy tickets at "The Magic Mile," things get tricky. Tennessee doesn’t have a state income tax on lottery winnings, which is great. But if you live in Alabama, they will tax you on that income. Federal taxes are a given (usually 24% off the top for the IRS), but your home state wants its cut too.
Where to Check Your Ticket
Don't trust a random social media post. Seriously.
- The TN Lottery App: This is the most reliable way. You can literally scan your ticket with your phone camera. It tells you immediately if you’ve won.
- Retailer Terminals: Any place that sells tickets, like Kroger or a local Shell station, has a "Check-a-Ticket" machine.
- Official Site: Head to https://www.google.com/search?q=tnlottery.com. It’s boring, but it’s the source of truth.
The Odds Are Weird
We all know the odds of hitting the jackpot are 1 in 302 million. That’s a number so big it’s hard to wrap your brain around. You’re more likely to get struck by lightning while being bitten by a shark.
But the overall odds of winning any prize are about 1 in 24.
That’s why people keep playing. Matching just the Mega Ball gets you $5 (or $10 if you had the multiplier). It’s enough to buy a couple more tickets and keep the dream alive.
The prize structure actually changed recently. In April 2025, Mega Millions overhauled the game. Tickets now cost $5, but the starting jackpots are much higher and the second-tier prizes (matching 5 white balls) are more substantial. It made the game more "top-heavy," but Tennessee players haven't seemed to mind the price hike given how fast the jackpots grow now.
How to Claim Your Prize in TN
Don't just run to Nashville. Unless you won the big one.
For prizes $599 and under, any authorized retailer can pay you out in cash. If you’re at a busy gas station, they might tell you to come back when they have more cash in the drawer, but they are technically allowed to pay it.
Once you hit $600 to $199,999, you have to go to a regional office. Tennessee has them in:
- Nashville (The main headquarters)
- Memphis
- Knoxville
- Chattanooga
If you're lucky enough to win $200,000 or more, pack your bags for Nashville. That's the only place equipped to handle the big payouts and the legal paperwork.
Actionable Steps for TN Players
If you’ve got a ticket in your pocket right now, do these three things immediately.
First, sign the back of that ticket. A lottery ticket is a "bearer instrument." That’s legal speak for "whoever holds it, owns it." If you lose an unsigned ticket and someone else finds it, it's theirs. Your signature is your only protection.
Second, download the official TN Lottery app. Stop squinting at the tiny numbers on the TV news crawl. The scanner is foolproof and saves you the heartbreak of misreading a "6" as an "8."
Third, set a budget. It’s easy to get caught up in jackpot fever. Treat it like entertainment, not an investment strategy. If the mega millions winning numbers tn don't go your way this time, there's always the next draw on Tuesday or Friday at 9:59 PM Central Time. Just make sure you buy your tickets before the 9:45 PM cutoff.