The price of Mega Millions tickets are about to cost more than double. Here’s what to know
Paying for a chance to become a millionaire is about to become pricier.
Starting next month, Mega Millions tickets will cost more than double, at $5 per play. The increase was announced in October in a news release from the lottery.
It is only the second time the price for a Mega Millions ticket has risen. The last time was back in 2017, when the price for a ticket increased from $1 to $2.
"We are creating a game that both our existing players and people new to Mega Millions will love and get excited about playing," Joshua Johnston, Mega Millions consortium lead director, said in a statement. "We expect more billion-dollar jackpots than ever before, meaning creating more billionaires and many more millionaires as the jackpots climb."
The lottery said that a “mega” overhaul to the game will come with the increased prize. Among the changes include "improved odds to win the jackpot" and "larger starting jackpots."
Changes to Mega Millions
Mega Millions announced the following changes to the lottery game starting next month:
- Higher odds of winning the jackpot
- Bigger and more frequent jackpots
- Larger starting jackpots
- Faster growing jackpots
- A built-in multiplier for every play that would "automatically improve every non-jackpot win by 2X, 3X, 4X, 5X or 10X – up to $10 million for matching the five white balls."
- No more breakeven prizes, allowing winners to always win more than the ticket's cost
Did anyone win the last Mega Millions drawing?
On Tuesday, no one won the Mega Millions jackpot or the $2 million Match 5 Megaplier prize, but one lucky person in Pennsylvania won the $1 million Match 5 prize.
To view the list of past winners, visit the Mega Millions website.
How to play the Mega Millions
To play the Mega Millions, you have to buy a ticket. You can do this at a variety of locations, including your local convenience store, gas station, or even grocery store. In some states, Mega Millions tickets can be bought online.
Once you have your ticket, you need to pick six numbers. Five of them will be white balls with numbers from 1 to 70. The gold Mega Ball ranges from 1 to 25.
If you’re feeling especially unlucky, or don’t want to go through the hassle of picking, you can ask for a "Quick Pick" or an "Easy Pick.” These options let the computer randomly generate numbers for you.
For an extra dollar, players can add the “Megaplier,” which increases non-jackpot prizes by two, three, four, or five times. The Megaplier is drawn before six Mega Millions numbers are drawn.
There are 15 Megapiler balls in all:
- 2X, five balls
- 3X, six balls
- 4X, three balls
- 5X, one ball
Where can you buy lottery tickets?
Tickets can be purchased in person at gas stations, convenience stores and grocery stores. Some airport terminals may also sell lottery tickets.
You can also order tickets online through Jackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the Paste BN Network, in these U.S. states and territories: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Washington, D.C., and West Virginia. The Jackpocket app allows you to pick your lottery game and numbers, place your order, see your ticket and collect your winnings all using your phone or home computer.
Jackpocket is the official digital lottery courier of the Paste BN Network. Gannett may earn revenue for audience referrals to Jackpocket services. Must be 18+, 21+ in AZ and 19+ in NE. Not affiliated with any State Lottery. Gambling Problem? Call 1-877-8-HOPE-NY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY); 1-800-327-5050 (MA); 1-877-MYLIMIT (OR); 1-800-981-0023 (PR); 1-800-GAMBLER (all others). Visit jackpocket.com/tos for full terms.
Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for Paste BN. Reach him at fernando.cervantes@gannett.com and follow him on X @fern_cerv_.