Mega Millions Announces Major Changes to Prize Structure and Gameplay

by | Apr 4, 2025

Mega Millions is set for a major revamp, with several enhancements rolling out after the final drawing of the current game on Friday, April 4, 2025. The first drawing under the new prize structure will take place on Tuesday, April 8, at 11:00 p.m. Eastern time.

Key Changes Coming to Mega Millions

New $5 Game with Built-In Multiplier

  • A single wager will now cost $5 and automatically include a multiplier.
  • Each ticket will be assigned a random 2X, 3X, 4X, 5X, or 10X multiplier at the time of purchase.
  • Non-jackpot prizes will increase, ranging from a minimum of $10 up to $10 million—significantly higher than the current $2 to $1 million prize range.
  • Every winning ticket will pay out at least twice the price of a single wager.

Bigger Jackpots and Higher Secondary Prizes

  • Starting jackpots will increase to $50 million, up from the current $20 million.
  • Jackpots are expected to grow faster and reach higher amounts more frequently.
  • The prize for matching five white balls (Match 5) will now range from $2 million to $10 million, depending on the multiplier.
  • Matching just the Mega Ball will now guarantee a prize between $10 and $50, instead of the current fixed amount.

Improved Jackpot Odds

  • The odds of winning the jackpot will slightly improve from 1 in 302,575,350 to 1 in 290,472,336.
  • This change is due to the removal of one gold Mega Ball, reducing the total from 25 to 24.
  • The overall odds of winning any prize will also improve from 1 in 24 to 1 in 23.

These changes aim to create larger jackpots, more frequent prize payouts, and an overall more exciting experience for Mega Millions players. The new structure will officially take effect with the April 8 drawing.