Embedded multiplier produces total payout that is nearly $40 million greater

By Kate Northrop

Within the first month since the Mega Millions multi-state game overhaul, the Mega Millions Consortium reported that non-jackpot prizes won by players have surged over 300%.

Players have won more than 300% in non-jackpot Mega Millions prizes in the first month since the game's relaunch, the Mega Millions Consortium announced.

On April 8, the Mega Millions game held its first drawing under the new rules, which included a ticket price increase from $2 to $5, an automatically included multiplier, and larger base prize amounts. Lottery officials observed that, in the first drawing alone, the prize payout to players was 5X greater compared to the older version.

In the first nine drawings of the updated multi-state game, the consortium reported that 1.89 million players won $51.3 million in non-jackpot prizes, a 308% increase from the $12.5 million those prizes would have been valued at under the old prize structure. For just matching the Mega Ball alone, players have won $18.8 million, easily exceeding the $12.5 million total amount paid across all prize tiers compared to the previous game version.

Additionally, over 587,000 players won the $10 minimum prize on a winning ticket, or $5 with the lowest multiplier of 2X. At just that prize level, players have won more than double the $2.5 million that they would have won by matching the Mega Ball and winning the old base prize of $2.

"It's exciting to see how players are reacting to the new game, especially when they win," Mega Millions Consortium Lead Director Joshua Johnston said in a press release. "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."

The changes also introduced the 10X multiplier to the game for the first time, whereas the highest multiplier number for the Megaplier add-on feature was 5X. Almost 60,000 winning tickets containing the 10X embedded multiplier have won more $3.8 million across all prize tiers in the first month, according to a statement.

"Prizes at every non-jackpot level are paying out at a combined 2.6X to 7.5X the value they would have under the old game matrix, meaning prizes being awarded at every level are outpacing the game's price adjustment," the consortium said.

Within the first month, five lucky players have won the game's second-tier prize by matching five white balls in a drawing: one Washington player, one New York player, and one Virginia player won $2 million, one Michigan player won $3 million, and another New York player won $4 million.

Four drawings into the new game, one Ohio player became the new game's first jackpot winner when they matched all five white balls plus the gold Mega Ball on April 18 and won the $112 million prize. The jackpot had reset to its new starting amount of $50 million after the draw, which was previously $20 million under the game's old rules.

The next Mega Millions drawing will take place on Tuesday, May 13 at 11:00 p.m. Eastern Time for a $110 million jackpot.

Mega Millions is currently offered for sale in 45 states, plus Washington, D.C. and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Drawings are Tuesdays and Fridays at 11:00 p.m. Eastern Time. Tickets cost $5 each.

The Mega Millions winning numbers are published at USA Mega (www.usamega.com) minutes after the drawing takes place.