OLYMPIA, Wash., May 8, 2025 — The revamped Mega Millions lottery game, launched on April 8, has delivered a 308% increase in non-jackpot prizes, with 1.89 million players winning $51.3 million in its first month, compared to $12.5 million under the previous game structure, according to a recent report. The new 2X-10X multiplier and enhanced prize structure have significantly boosted payouts across all non-jackpot tiers.
In the nine drawings since the launch, players matching only the Mega Ball won $18.8 million, surpassing the total non-jackpot prizes of the old game. More than 587,000 players claimed the minimum $10 prize, totaling $5.87 million, over double the $2.5 million that 1.25 million winners would have received at $2 each previously. Nearly 60,000 players benefited from the new 10X multiplier, introduced on April 8, winning over $3.8 million across various tiers. Previously, the multiplier maxed out at 5X for an additional $1.
“It’s exciting to see how players are reacting to the new game, especially when they win,” said Joshua Johnston, Lead Director of the Mega Millions Consortium. “The more they see their winnings multiply, the more they’re understanding the value of the new game and why we made the changes we did.”
Five players became millionaires by matching five white balls, with three winning $2 million, one $3 million, and one $4 million. These winners purchased tickets in Michigan, New York (two), Virginia, and Washington. The first jackpot under the new rules, $112 million, was won in Ohio on April 18, resetting to $50 million and climbing to $100 million for the May 9 drawing.
The new game’s prize structure offers payouts from $10 to $10 million, compared to $2 to $1 million previously. For example, matching four white balls and the Mega Ball yielded $1.2 million for 45 winners, up from $450,000. Matching three white balls paid $2.24 million for 74,488 winners, compared to $744,880 in the old matrix. The 10X multiplier, applied randomly to non-jackpot wins, has amplified prizes significantly, with payouts ranging from 2.6X to 7.5X their former values.
The overhaul also improved odds, with the chance of winning any prize rising from 1 in 24 to 1 in 23, and jackpot odds improving from 1 in 302.6 million to 1 in 290.5 million. The starting jackpot increased from $20 million to $50 million, with average jackpots expected to exceed $800 million, up from $450 million. The ticket price rose from $2 to $5, incorporating the multiplier automatically, eliminating the optional $1 Megaplier and “Just the Jackpot” features.
Mega Millions, played in 45 states, Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands, holds drawings Tuesdays and Fridays at 11 p.m. Eastern time. The game’s enhancements aim to deliver greater value, ensuring no break-even prizes and faster-growing jackpots. The largest Mega Millions jackpot, $1.602 billion, was won in Florida on August 8, 2023.
