The revamped Mega Millions game made its debut on April 8, 2025, delivering a significant boost to non-jackpot prizes in its first drawing. Players nationwide won $4.3 million, a figure five times higher than the $840,628 they would have claimed under the previous prize structure, thanks to a new built-in multiplier ranging from 2X to 10X. The change resulted in an additional $3.4 million awarded across 217,904 winners in eight non-jackpot prize tiers, highlighting the enhanced value of the updated game.
The new multiplier, automatically applied to every $5 ticket, adjusts non-jackpot winnings, offering payouts from $10 to $10 million compared to the old range of $2 to $1 million. In the April 8 drawing, five winners matching four white balls and the Mega Ball took home $100,000 collectively, doubling the old game’s $50,000 total for that tier. Similarly, 125 players matching four white balls won $195,000, up from $62,500, while 144,692 players matching just the Mega Ball claimed $2.17 million, a sharp rise from $289,384. A detailed prize breakdown is available at mega-millions.com.
“We couldn’t be more thrilled for our players and for how the new game is being received,” said Joshua Johnston, lead director of the Mega Millions Consortium. “As players are coming into grocery stores, convenience stores, and lottery offices today to collect prizes that are two, three, four, five and ten times what they’ve seen in the past, it’s putting a smile on their faces, because that’s real, everyday money to most people. This is why the game change matters; it’s providing value to our players at every prize level and at every drawing.”
The updated Mega Millions, launched after three years of planning across 47 jurisdictions, introduces several changes beyond the multiplier. The starting jackpot has increased from $20 million to $50 million, with faster growth projected to push average jackpots above $800 million, compared to $450 million previously, according to the consortium. Odds of winning the jackpot improved from 1 in 302.6 million to 1 in 290.5 million due to a reduction in Mega Ball numbers from 25 to 24, per the Maryland Lottery mdlottery.com. Overall odds of winning any prize also shifted from 1 in 24 to 1 in 23.
The ticket price rose from $2 to $5, marking only the second adjustment since the game began in 2002. The first increase, from $1 to $2, occurred in 2017. “It’s also important to remember that launching the new Mega Millions is the culmination of three years’ worth of work and coordination across 47 jurisdictions, and it’s intended to be a fun game that gives players a chance to escape and dream,” Johnston said. “We recognize that in today’s economic climate, players may be feeling unsettled about the price of everyday goods. Mega Millions is about entertainment, and players should always make sure their basic needs are met before purchasing a lottery ticket.”
Since its inception, Mega Millions has awarded seven billion-dollar jackpots and, since the 2017 update, created over 1,200 millionaires—roughly three per week. Played in 45 states, Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands, the game holds drawings every Tuesday and Friday at 11 p.m. Eastern Time in Atlanta. Lottery proceeds fund various causes, with allocations varying by jurisdiction, according to the official site megamillions.com.
