Mega Millions Flaunts New Format Success, Richer Winnings

Posted on: April 18, 2025, 01:32h. 

Last updated on: April 18, 2025, 01:32h.

Devin O'Connor @CasinoorgDevinO Read More

Expertise: Asia Pacific Gaming, Commercial Gaming, Legislation, Politics.

Mega Millions overhauled its gameplay earlier this month, with the basic price to play jumping from $2 to $5. Officials with the lottery say the change has been a success.

The Mega Millions Group, which operates the interstate lottery game from the Georgia Lottery Studios in Atlanta, reports that its players have quickly taken to the new format. Though the cost of entry soared 150%, every $5 ticket now has the formerly optional Megaplier automatically included that multiplies wins by two, three, four, five, or ten times.

For the April 8 Mega Millions drawing, lottery officials say 217,904 tickets won some sort of prize. Under the old format, those wins — assuming none included the $1 add-on Megaplier — would have amounted to $840,628. Under the new format with the multiplier built in, the wins amounted to more than $4.32 million.

We couldn’t be more thrilled for our players and for how the new game is being received. As players are coming into grocery stores, convenience stores, and lottery offices today to collect prizes that are two, three, four, five, and ten times what they’ve seen in the past, it’s putting a smile on their faces, because that’s real, everyday money to most people,” said Joshua Johnston, lead director of the Mega Millions Consortium.

“This is why the game change matters; it’s providing value to our players at every prize level and every drawing,” Johnston added.

Compared to the old game, Mega Millions reps say the new format features bigger prizes at every non-jackpot prize tier, improved odds to win the jackpot, better odds overall, a larger starting jackpot, faster-growing jackpots, and no break-even prizes. The chances of winning the jackpot went from one in 302.2 million to one in 290.4 million. 

Even Lottery Games Cost More

COVID-19 pushed costs for most everything higher. President Donald Trump’s tariff war stands to further squeeze consumers’ pockets.

While Mega Millions’ price hike came at a seemingly poor time, Mega Millions officials say they understand the economic pressures.

We recognize that in today’s economic climate, players may be feeling unsettled about the price of everyday goods. Mega Millions is about entertainment, and players should always make sure their basic needs are met before purchasing a lottery ticket,” said Johnston.

The Mega Millions lead said the game overhaul was the culmination of three years’ worth of work and coordination across the 47 jurisdictions that participate in the game. The rate hike was only the second price adjustment since the first Mega Millions ticket was sold more than 20 years ago. 

No $5 Mega Millions Jackpot Yet 

There have been three Mega Millions drawings since the $5 buy-in became active. None of the millions of plays have yet matched the five drawn white balls and gold Mega Ball to claim the jackpot.

That could change tonight, as millions of Mega Millions players will anxiously await the 11 pm EST drawing. Should a ticket match all six numbers, the winner will have the option of claiming the $112 million prize paid out over 29 years or an immediate one-time cash sum of $49.3 million. Both prizes are before federal and possibly state taxes.