Mega Millions raises jackpot minimum to $50 million, adjusts ticket price
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — One of the most popular national lottery games is about to debut an overhauled structure, changing how it is played and how much it will cost to buy a ticket.
Mega Millions officials announced in a news release that the new rules will be rolled out on April 5, after revealing changes would be coming last October. Key updates include higher jackpots and improved odds of winning.
The game will begin with a $50 million jackpot, up from its current starting point of $20 million. With the addition of a more expensive ticket price, jackpots are expected to grow higher in less time.
“If the jackpot is below $50 million after the drawing on April 4, it will increase to $50 million for the first drawing of the new game,” officials explained. “If the jackpot is over $50 million after the drawing on April 4, it will continue to roll into the new game.”
Participants will have 70 numbers to pick from for five white balls. Options for choosing the Mega Ball will reach 24 — down from 25 in the existing game. The one fewer Mega Ball will improve the jackpot-winning odds from 1 in 302 million to 1 in 290 million.
Ohio players will no longer be able to add an extra $1 for the Megaplier. The Megaplier kicks in when all 5 white balls match without the Mega Ball, giving the player $1 million times the Megaplier number drawn. Instead, there will be 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,” the commission noted.
Right now, a basic Mega Millions ticket is $2, the current minimum prize is also $2. The new wager price will be $5. However, the new minimum non-jackpot prize is rising to $10, so any winner will do better than just breaking even on their ticket purchase.
“This is only the game’s second price adjustment since the first ticket was sold more than 20 years ago and the first change since the current game matrix was adopted in 2017,” the lottery said.
Six winners have struck billion-dollar jackpots. In the Buckeye State, there have been 20 jackpot winners and 65 second-tier winners of $1 million or more.
Mega Millions is a joint lottery that can be played in 45 states, including Ohio, Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Drawings are held Tuesdays and Fridays at 11 p.m. in Atlanta.
The next Mega Millions drawing is Tuesday at 11 p.m.
Additionally, the Ohio Lottery recommended that participants “keep it fun.” Help for a gambling problem is available 24/7 by calling the Ohio Problem Gambling Helpline at 1-800-589-9966.