Mega Millions raises ticket prices, touting better winning odds
(NewsNation) — Mega Millions is rolling out a new look, promising to increase the odds of winning and offer bigger jackpots — at a higher price.
Starting Tuesday, players will pay more to play, with ticket prices for the popular lottery game increasing from $2 to $5.
The first drawing of the revamped Mega Millions is Tuesday at 11 p.m. ET.
This marks the second price hike in Mega Millions' 23-year history. The last increase was in 2017, when ticket prices increased from $1 to $2.
Under the new rules, the average win is expected to be more than $800 million — significantly higher than the previous $450 million average. Even if players don't win the grand prize, nonjackpot prizes range from $10 to $10 million.
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The idea behind increased ticket prices is that the more money spent on tickets, the bigger the payout.
'You're going to see jackpots at a billion again more often because of the higher ticket costs,' said David Glantz, who owns Buckeye Bros. Smokeshop in Springfield, Mass.
A spokesperson for Mega Millions told NewNation the change was made based on player feedback and the desire to differentiate the game from Powerball.
Each time there's no jackpot winner, the prize will continue to grow. Lottery officials are banking on bigger jackpots to drive higher sales.
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However, not all players are thrilled with the change.
'Instead of buying two tickets or even three tickets, now you can only buy one, and the chances of winning are so slim,' said Justin Arnold, of North Providence, Rhode Island. 'I'm probably going to stop playing myself now, and I've been playing for a while.'
If $5 is too steep a price, players can still play Powerball for $2 or try their state lottery for about $1.
While the odds of winning the lottery are still slim — you're more likely to be struck by lightning — the odds are slightly better with the new format.
Players now have a one in 23 chance of winning something, up from one in 24. The odds of winning the grand prize have improved to one in 290 million from one in 303 million.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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