Mega Millions just announced a major change to the game which is sure to shake things up. Starting April 2025, the price of a lottery ticket will go up from $2 to $5, more than doubling in price. “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,” Joshua Johnston, lead director of the Mega Millions Consortium, says in a release. Here’s what else will improve with the game, according to officials.
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Better Odds To Win
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According to the Mega Millions announcement, the overhaul will result in a much improved game. Here’s what players will benefit from:
- Improved odds to win the jackpot
- Bigger jackpots more frequently
- Larger starting jackpots
- Faster growing jackpots
- A built-in multiplier on every play, automatically improving every non-jackpot win by 2X, 3X, 4X, 5X or 10X – up to $10 million for matching the five white balls
- No breakeven prizes, meaning when a player wins, they’ll always win more than the cost of the ticket
Three Millionaires a Week
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According to the press release, this is the second time in the history of Mega Millions that the price of a ticket has changed. “Since Mega Millions launched in 2002, it has produced six winners of billion-dollar jackpots,” the company says. “Since the last change in 2017 more than 1,200 players have become millionaires, an average of 3 millionaires per week.”
Starbucks Or Mega Millions?
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Mega Millions doesn’t think the price hike will stop people from playing.“Spending 5 bucks to become a millionaire or billionaire, that’s pretty good,” says Joshua Johnston, director of the Washington Lottery and lead director of the group that oversees Mega Millions, according to Fox 10 Phoenix. Johnston also makes the point that most people spend that much on fancy coffee. “You pay 5 bucks for your Starbucks.”
Powerball Isn’t Changing
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Powerball will continue to be $2 a ticket, according to AP. So if you want cheaper tickets, there are still options.
Where Can I Play?
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Mega Millions tickets are sold in 45 states including Washington, D.C. and the U.S. Virgin Islands, according to the lottery. Lottery profits are allocated to government services and other causes such as public schools.