Game matrix also changed to increase jackpots
Five years after Powerball lottery ticket prices were increased to $2, the multi-state Mega Millions game is following suit.
Mega Millions lottery tickets will increase from $1 to $2 later this year, and the odds of winning the jackpot will decrease, according to a measure adopted Monday by New York's lottery regulator.
The move is meant to boost headline-grabbing jackpots for the multi-state lottery game, which is offered in more than 40 states.
Mega Millions will make the price change and tweaks to the game for the Oct. 31 drawing, state Gaming Commission general counsel Edmund Burns wrote in a memo.
The new game rules and ticket price were already adopted by the consortium of states that run the multi-state game, but the rules came to light only after the New York lottery regulator publicly announced the information.
New York had to make the change in order to continue offering the game, which accounted for more than $280 million in lottery sales in the state last year. Other Mega Millions states will undergo similar processes to continue offering the game within their borders.
"Without these rules changes, the Division of Lottery would need to remove the Mega Millions game from its portfolio of offerings and aid to education would be affected negatively," Burns wrote.
The rule-changes will have players pick from 70 numbers for the first set of picks, and 25 numbers for the second.
Currently, players pick from 75 and 15 numbers, respectively.
The changes will alter the probability of winning, making it harder to win the jackpot, but easier to win the second prize.
Chances of winning the jackpot will decrease from 1 in 258.9 million to 1 in 302.6 million, while the chance of winning any prize — which will run from $2 to the jackpot — will go from 1 in 14.71 to 1 in 24.
The second-place, $1 million prize will get easier to win: From 1 in 18.5 million to 1 in 12.6 million.
The price increase will put Mega Millions in line with other multi-state lottery games, Powerball and Cash For Life, which already charge $2.
Mega Millions is currently offered for sale in 44 states, plus Washington, D.C. and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Drawings are Tuesdays and Fridays at 11:00 pm Eastern Time.
The Mega Millions winning numbers are published at USA Mega (www.usamega.com) minutes after the drawing takes place.
The largest jackpot in Mega Millions history was $656 million for the March 30, 2012 drawing, in which there were three winning tickets — one each from Illinois, Kansas and Maryland.
What do you think of the price increase and rules change? Will you continue to play Mega Millions after the price increase?
We all knew it would eventually happen... Come October, I'll be buying less.
Why am I not surprised. Much like bridge tolls - the price keeps going up.
Will the minimum jackpot go up?
Surprise!
Well, Not Really!
Play On America, but It'll Cost You More!
That was my exact thought when I read about this.
Harder to win the big one, just more great news to screw the loyal players.
Oh boy. I was thinking about this also. The MM was going to go up as well and follow the powerball. I wonder what the multiplier will look like.
I guess the occasional buyer room that I'm in, is about to get a little more crowded.
MegaMillions Management Greed Trumps MegaMillions Player Greed!
The changes will alter the probability of winning, making it harder to win the jackpot, but easier to win the second prize.
Not great for California who uses the pari-mutuel system to award non jackpot prizes. The second prize starts around $85k and goes up $85-100k each rollover.
I AGREE
Bleu101 we just keep getting it without Vaseline........
NO I will no longer be Playing!
Count me in the group that will now play less.
Yet another game we won't be playing till the jackpot hits 10 Times the odds... $2.6 Billion... now $3.0 Billion in Oct.
If anything good from these changes, it's leaving more money in our pocket by not playing.
I usually only buy one play for Powerball and a couple for MegaMillions...looks like I will be just buying one of each from October onward. When I win, I will cease playing the lottery. I can't understand why jackpot winners always say they will continue buying tickets even though the odds of hitting the jackpot again are astronomical. I adopted the philosophy of giving myself at least one chance to win, so I don't drop $20, $50, or $100 just because the annuitized jackpot amount is over $100 million or so.
As the dollar becomes worth less each year because of inflation, prices continue to increase.
I will continue to play both MM & PB. I am a loyal fan.
I play the minimum amount required, One ticket per game per draw. It only takes one to win.
o well. and ITA Noise-Gate. smh
Good bye four quarters, easy fun playing, for a buck, to hello "let's rise it up more like P-Ball and decrease such people winning it ever in life."
I am glad i only play the big games like the Power B, and Mega sometimes.
.
Why are they greedy? They're an entire "lotto government".
I'm just one individual who's always been in the USA.
But they just want to advertise the largest jackpots,
but then the whole world gets in on it.
I hope they also limit MM, and PB to just USA players.
I'd be happier with a significantly smaller jackpot prize.
So, October and then $2 ?
I'd have to seriously think about my lotto budget then.
Greed sucks.
Nvm wow I'm glad I stopped playing this game.
By increasing it to $2 bucks I assume that they want PB size jackpots. But unless they make the prizes comprisable to PB, it is going to take forever for the MM jackpot to increase to those amounts.
MM was always good for a huge jackpot out of left field. Their math is easy to understand, double the ticket price, double the revenue.
My guess is regular players will adjust and buy less lines. Others are probably going to buy 5 plays for 10$ instead of 5 for 5$, paying with a single bill is more handy, there is no "real" pain point for the little players, it's 100% more, yes, but people see it as entertainment anywayanyone?
"Chances of winning the jackpot will decrease from 1 in 258.9 million to 1 in 302.6 million" - Just great, same $ as PB but worse odds. We can expect PB to screw with their formula again - 3$ tickets
Did I miss the part that adresses starting jackpots? I hope they'll compete with PB there too, and not just ticket price.
You might agree that once in a blue moon pari-mutuel does pay more for secondary prizes. Sometimes though I cringe when I see the winner losing out on hundred of thousands of dollars which is usually the case!
As soon as the powerball did this I was turned off and obviously the odds. The mm i might not play much and wonder what they will offer on the multiplier.
Everyone is better off playing just state lotteries. Is there a way of doing Cash 5, Quinto, and the other ones.
Everyone is better off playing just state lotteries.
You would think so, but as I have griped repeatedly, the number of superlotto winners in Calif has dropped over the past 2 years. In 2015 there was no winner for 6 months and then in 2016-2017 there was no winner for 8 or 9 months and the jackpot only increases a million each rollover.
I see what you're saying that I don't understand something obviously the lottery tickets going up with the big lotteries the tolls.
They keep raising prices on different things so why? Pretty soon nobody's going to buy the big game tickets once October hits and more people find out.
As a matter of fact I talked to someone a couple years ago and the person stated that it's better to hit state lotteries. The odds are better. He is right.
The new Mega Millions starting jackpot will increase from $15 million to $40 million. The third place prize will increase from $5000 to $10,000. Several of the lower prizes will increase also. However, the bigger third place prize and the bigger lower prizes will be harder to win.
I haven't seen any word on changes to the multiplier. Looks like New York state threatened to drop Mega Millions unless changes were made. On average, 65% to 70% of lottery dollars are spent on scratch tickets. I predict that in a few years either Mega Millions or Powerball will be discontinued since there is no longer any significant difference between the games.
Better odds and less attention, too.
That's $25M in consolation then, at least.
I don't understand why they put more pressure on MM, it was trotting along nicely. Making it less attractive is a pointless strategy when it is competing with PB and they have all these other games.
Maybe in 2 years they'll be merged and there will be 4 drawings a week.
They should push for online sales instead.
Several of the lower prizes will increase also. However, the bigger third place prize and the bigger lower prizes will be harder to win.
I'm not impressed:
If they do go with scratchers only, I cant see people buying them like they do draw games. When a scratcher does have a multimillion dollar prize, the price of the ticket is usually $20-$30 bucks. People are not going to lay out money at the price on a regular and steady basis.
Present
·
Mega Ball
1
0
White
B
A
L
L
S
5
258,890,850.00
18,492,203.57
4
739,688.14
52,834.87
3
10,720.12
765.72
2
472.95
33.78
1
56.47
4.03
0
21.39
1.53
October
·
Mega Ball
1
0
White
B
A
L
L
S
5
302,575,350.00
12,607,306.25
4
931,001.08
38,791.71
3
14,546.89
606.12
2
692.71
28.86
1
89.38
3.72
0
36.63
1.53
It's a garbage game now that you barely win on now if ever, I won't be playing it at $2. Before they changed it the last time you used to be able to win something on a regular basis, now it's virtually never, the only reason I would play is that it was only $1, at $2, no way, I would be better playing a scratch off ticket.
If the jackpot hits a billion I might buy a ticket.
In our opinion, this is what the payouts should be.
Present
·
Mega Ball
1
0
White
B
A
L
L
S
5
Jackpot
$1,200,000.00
4
$ 70,000.00
$ 6,000.00
3
$ 1,600.00
$ 150.00
2
$ 100.00
$ 9.00
1
$ 15.00
$ 1.00
0
$ 6.00
$ -
October
·
Mega Ball
1
0
White
B
A
L
L
S
5
Jackpot
$1,600,000.00
4
$160,000.00
$ 10,000.00
3
$ 4,000.00
$ 240.00
2
$ 280.00
$ 16.00
1
$ 40.00
$ 3.00
0
$ 20.00
$ -
We developed an equitable payout formula that should not be economically worse than the old payouts.
The Payout Odds are the right most values, i. e. 1 in Payout Odds.
Wanna get US excited about playing, use this payout structure and you will.
I know, most people buy $20 bucks when the jackpot is astronomical, and then they lose $20 and say oh they got me never again. Supply equal demand. I'm like that too, I buy one and say ok I hope so of course. If I'd ever win I'd buy the most comfortable pad in the universe and say who likes it. Lol. I mean I'm alright but still there's always <snip> to deal with. Figures they'd be dragging along the old Babylon lines calling people fools and such. They should cut it in half. .50 cent ticket. Or get 2 free back, don't see that anymore. All I see is more money more money more money. How that goes, we all know, more problems. Lotteries must be having problems huh. Takes a lot of money to buy those bonds, lol. Good luck, hope I win tonight.
Why even offer both MegaMillions and Powerball. They are basically the same game now with similar odds. Just drop MegaMillions and only offer Powerball or visa versa. The only benefit to MegaMillions was the lower ticket price. They can add one drawing to whichever game they keep to ensure steady ticket revenue throughout the week.
Double the ticket price and increase the odds of winning the jackpot? Oh hell no! I'll be sticking with my states 5+1 jackpot game from now on.
Now Mega Millions will be as bad as Powerball. I quit playing PB after their change and will probably do the same with MM once the change happens...
Somewhere in the not too distant future, prices for PB/MM will reach $5.00 a line. Guess what?....People will still keep on playing.
Seems rather counter productive that they would do both at the same time but they are...
Reading the following , makes my head hurt: follow along
Chances of winning the jackpot will decrease from 1 in 258.9 million to 1 in 302.6 million, while the chance of winning any prize — which will run from $2 to the jackpot — will go from 1 in 14.71 to 1 in 24."
Huh? How is this a decrease?? From 258 to 304??
From 1 in 14 to 1 in 24??
Granted snowballs have a better chance freezing in Satan's abode better then my winning. But golly jeepers , how is this decreasing the odds?? Answer: its not.
The $2 price does not really bother me but the 256 trillion billion million to 1 odds DO bother me.
If they believe I will keep buying tickets they can blow me and eat my $#!t.
I quit playing PB (except when it looked like the jackpot was going to be hit) and for the same $2 reason, I won't be playing MM much either.
Well I have to go to the library and get the new version of the California Lotto Frequency update. I wonder the Mega Millions Change their matrix on October 31st, 2017?
The record jackpot score to beat is $1.5864 Billion Dollars set by Powerball.
You can skip the formality of getting a ticket and just send the money straight to the MUSL.
There was a thread once about at what ticket price would you stop playing and some said they'll play no matter how high the price.