Mega Millions lottery tickets will increase in price from $2 to $5 in April, marking a 150% price hike, the second such increase in the lottery’s history.
This change will coincide with the introduction of a “new and improved” version of Mega Millions, designed to make jackpots grow faster and occur more frequently.
Lottery officials claim that the overhaul will offer larger starting jackpots and better odds of winning compared to the current odds of 1 in 302.575 million.
As part of the revamp, Mega Millions will introduce a built-in multiplier feature that automatically enhances non-jackpot wins by 2X to 10X, while eliminating breakeven prizes.
These changes are aimed at boosting excitement for both long-time players and newcomers.
The lottery last raised ticket prices in 2017 when they increased from $1 to $2, and this new increase is meant to further enhance the game’s appeal and potential for massive payouts.
According to Joshua Johnston, Lead Director of the Mega Millions Consortium, the upcoming changes are expected to create more billionaires and millionaires, with more frequent billion-dollar jackpots.
Johnston also emphasized that the revamped game will continue to support important causes in all regions where Mega Millions is played.