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Get Ready for Bigger Mega Millions Jackpots!
Big changes are coming to the Mega Millions lottery in April, potentially making more players millionaires – or even billionaires! While the ticket price will increase from $2 to $5, it’s the first price jump in over two decades, and comes with some exciting perks.
This price increase will fuel faster-growing jackpots, with the starting prize soaring from $20 million to a cool $50 million. Experts predict this change will lead to significantly more billion-dollar jackpots. “You’re going to see a lot more billion-dollar jackpots,” confirmed Mike Silveira, chief of staff at Jackpot!.com.
But that’s not all! The Megaplier, which multiplies non-jackpot prizes, is getting a makeover.
Currently, it costs an extra dollar and applies the same multiplier to all winners for a given drawing. The new Megaplier will be free, can boost winnings up to 10X, and will be unique to each ticket.
Imagine buying two tickets and having one with a 2X multiplier and the other with a 10X – talk about exciting!
Another exciting change? Say goodbye to break-even prizes. Every win will now net you more than the ticket price.
These changes aren’t just about bigger prizes; they’re designed to attract a new generation of players. With better odds and faster-growing jackpots, Mega Millions hopes to entice younger, more casual players to try their luck.
Joshua Johnston, lead director of the Mega Millions Consortium, emphasized the game’s positive impact: “We expect more billion-dollar jackpots than ever before, meaning creating more billionaires and many more millionaires as the jackpots climb, plus this game will continue the important legacy of supporting great causes everywhere Mega Millions is played.”
Since its launch in 2002, Mega Millions has seen six billion-dollar jackpots, and since 2017, over 1,200 players have become millionaires. While the odds of winning the jackpot remain a slim 1 in 302 million, that hasn’t stopped Americans from spending big on lottery tickets. In 2022 alone, lottery sales reached a record $97.8 billion.