The Scratch

Changes Coming to Mega Millions

Change can be a polarizing subject for people on a philosophical level. There are those who believe that change can lead to positive outcomes while others think that change is hard to stomach. When it comes to updates to games, we are in the change is good camp.Mega Millions will be making enhancements October 31 and you will see that the changes include larger and faster-growing jackpots, better odds of becoming a millionaire and a new way to play the game. Let’s dive into this a little deeper.

The minimum Mega Millions jackpot will increase from $15 million to $40 million and jackpots will grow by at least $5 million after each drawing in which the jackpot is not won.

Mega Millions drawings will still consist of five white balls and one gold Mega Ball®, for a total of six winning numbers. Under a new matrix, the number of white balls will decrease to 70 and the number of gold balls will increase to 25. The result will be improved odds of winning the $1 million Match 5 prize (1 in 12,607,306.) The odds of hitting the jackpot will be 1 in 302 million, while the overall odds of winning any prize will be 1 in 24.

Here are some of the other enhancements you will see:

• The prize structure will change. The third prize will increase from $5,000 to $10,000 for matching the four of five white ball numbers and Mega Ball number, and matching three of white ball numbers and the Mega Ball number will win $200 instead of $50.
• The Megaplier will now have a 67% chance that the 3x, 4x or 5x multiplier will be drawn in each drawing.
• A new wager type – Just the Jackpot – will give players two chances to win the jackpot prize only. For $3, a player will receive two quick pick plays eligible for the jackpot prize only. No other pirze levels will be awarded on Just the Jackpot tickets.
• The price for each Mega Millions play will be $2. Tickets for the enhanced game will go on sale beginning October 28.

If you have any questions about the upcoming Mega Millions changes, sound off in the comments section or shoot us an email at lottery@nelottery.com.