Your chance to become a millionaire has arrived! Mega Millions has announced a new version of the game that includes several changes, offering bigger prizes as well as greater chances of winning. Here’s what we know about it.
What are the changes to Mega Millions?
According to the consortium’s announcement, the game will feature larger prizes at every level except the jackpot. Additionally, there will be larger starting jackpots and faster-growing jackpots. And the best part: it will offer better odds of winning the jackpot!
The game improvements that benefit players include:
- Improved overall odds: The overall odds of winning any prize will improve from 1 in 24 to 1 in 23 due to the removal of a golden Mega Ball from the game.
- Improved jackpot odds: The odds of winning the jackpot will increase from 1 in 302,575,350 to 1 in 290,472,336 due to the removal of a golden Mega Ball. The new game will feature 24 Mega Balls instead of the 25 in the current game.
ALSO READ Here’s how you can get a free McDonald’s McCrispy!
- Larger starting jackpots: After a jackpot win, the starting jackpot will reset to $50 million instead of the current $20 million.
- Faster-growing and higher jackpots more often: The average jackpot in the new game is expected to exceed $800 million, compared to approximately $450 million in the current game.
- Prize increase by 2 to 10 times with random multiplier: Every non-jackpot prize will automatically multiply its base prize by 2, 3, 4, 5, or 10 times. Prizes in the new game will range from $10 to $10 million, compared to $2 to $1 million in the current game.
- Win more than the cost of playing: With a minimum prize of $10 on a winning ticket in the new game, each winning ticket will pay at least double the $5 cost per play. In the current game, the minimum prize for a winning ticket and the cost to play are the same: $2.
“Beyond the large jackpots, players told us they wanted larger non-jackpot prizes, and that’s exactly what this new game offers. Players who won $2 in the previous game will now take home $10, $15, $20, $25, or $50 with this game. Those who won $500 under the old rules will now take home $1,000, $1,500, $2,000, $2,500, or $5,000 with this new game. Non-jackpot prizes at each level will be multiplied by two and up to ten times. That’s the value the new Mega Millions will offer our players in every drawing,” said Joshua Johnston, Principal Director of the Mega Millions Consortium, in the statement.
When will the Mega Millions changes take effect?
The first drawing under the new prize structure will take place on Tuesday, April 8, 2025, at 11 p.m. Eastern Time.
What is Mega Millions?
It is a national lottery game with tickets sold in 45 states, Washington D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands. It started on August 31, 1996, as the Big Game. The first drawing took place on September 6, 1996, with the participation of six states: Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, and Virginia.
When are the Mega Millions drawings?
Drawings take place on Tuesdays and Fridays in Atlanta, Georgia, at 11:00 p.m. Eastern Time.
How many people have won the jackpot?
Since its inception in 2002, Mega Millions has had seven jackpot winners who have surpassed $1 billion, distributed across various states in the country. Following the last game update in 2017, over 1,200 players have become millionaires, which equals an average of three new millionaires per week.
What is the probability of winning the lottery in the United States?
Participating in the lottery in the United States is a very common activity, requiring a low investment to purchase a ticket. However, winning the jackpot is extremely difficult. For example, the odds of winning the Powerball jackpot are one in 292.2 million, while the odds for Mega Millions are one in 302.5 million.
