Mega Millions tickets will become more expensive next year. Lottery officials behind the game, which is sold in 45 states, announced Monday that it will cost $5 per game starting in April 2025, more than double the current cost of $2 per ticket.
“New and Improved” Mega Millions Game
The ticket price increase is part of a major overhaul intended to create parity bigger jackpots for the game that has generated $6 billion in wins since its inception in 2002. The last ticket worth that much was a $1.13 billion winner sold in New Jersey in March.
The Mega Millions Consortium says the “new and improved” game will offer larger starting jackpots that grow faster, along with better chances of winning the jackpot. More details about changes to the game will be released at a later date, a Massachusetts State Lottery spokesperson said.
The Mega Millions is currently reset to a $20 million jackpot after someone finds all five numbers and the MegaBall.
“We expect more billion-dollar jackpots than ever before, which means we will create more billionaires and many more millionaires as the jackpots rise, and this game will continue the important legacy of supporting charities everywhere Mega Millions is played said Joshua Johnston, chief executive of the consortium. in a statement.
Each ticket in the updated game has a built-in multiplier to increase any non-jackpot win by up to 10x. A player who matches all five white balls can win up to $10 million.
Additionally, the consortium said each win will be more than the cost of buying a ticket, meaning there will be “no break-even prices.”
Second price increase ever for Mega Millions
The last time Mega Millions raised the price to play was in 2017, when tickets went from $1 to $2.
The origins of Mega Millions date back to 1996, when Massachusetts, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan and Virginia teamed up to create the Big Game. Other states now selling Mega Millions tickets include New York, Pennsylvania, California, Florida and Texas.
The power ball, which also sells $2 tickets in 45 states, has no plans at this time to change its format, the Massachusetts State Lottery said.
