During a public meeting last week, the Montana Lottery Commission introduced its plans for a complete redesign of the Mega Millions multi-state lottery game which would come into effect in 2025. The changes aim to make the game more fun by improving the odds of winning and offering higher prize amounts, however, ticket prices will increase.
Mega Millions to Increase Ticket Price and Jackpot Amount
The most notable change is the proposed increase in the cost of a Mega Millions ticket from $2 to $5. This price hike, the first since 2017, is coupled with the automatic inclusion of the Megaplier feature. Previously, players had to pay an additional $1 to multiply their non-jackpot prizes. Under the new plan, the Megaplier will be included in the $5 ticket price, with multipliers ranging from 1X to 10X. However, there is a 5-in-23 chance that the Megaplier will be 1X, meaning no prize multiplication for that ticket.
Another change being considered is that the starting amount for jackpots should be much higher than it currently is. Under these new rules, beginning jackpots would rise from $20 million to $50 million – which makes them more attractive.
This change is expected to result in larger average jackpots, potentially increasing from $387 million to an estimated $694 million. The adjustments are also projected to lead to more frequent billion-dollar jackpots, enhancing the game’s appeal.
Mega Millions Revamp: New Balls, Better Odds, and Bigger Prizes
Moreover, there are some slight modifications proposed for the game itself which would increase the odds of winning. Currently, players choose from 37 different gold-colored balls. This number will be reduced to 34 Mega Balls. The number of white balls will remain unchanged at 70. These changes are expected to improve the odds of winning the jackpot from 1 in 302.6 million to 1 in 278.4 million, while the overall odds of winning any prize will improve from 1 in 24 to 1 in 22.15.
The proposal also suggests various marketing changes to be implemented alongside the makeover including new logos and play slips so they better reflect what is going on inside the revamped version of the game.
All of this should take place sometime during the spring of next year if it gets approved by all nine other member states within the Mega Millions consortium including California, Georgia, Massachusetts, and New Jersey, among others. Gretchen Corbin, the current lead director of Mega Millions and CEO of the Georgia Lottery, will play a key role in the decision-making process.
These proposed changes reflect a significant evolution in the Mega Millions game, aimed at increasing player engagement through better odds and bigger prizes. If approved, the revamped game is expected to enhance the overall lottery experience and attract a broader audience, thereby potentially increasing ticket sales and revenue.
