Game Changes

New $5 Price Includes Built-In Multiplier and $50 Million Starting Jackpot

Starting April 5, the multistate game Mega Millions will undergo sweeping changes to create a “fast track” jackpot game for those who don’t like to wait around for eye-popping jackpot levels, along with value-added features that better differentiate it from Powerball.

• Starting Jackpot Increases to $50 Million. Fast tracking the jackpot size begins with a starting jackpot that will more than double to $50 million, and the average jackpot size will soar to $803 million!
• Built-in Prize Multiplier on Every Play. A multiplier feature is automatically added to every play on every ticket! The result is larger average non-jackpot prizes with the inclusion of a new 10X prize multiplier (in addition to 2X, 3X, 4X and 5X). That means up to a $10 million prize is possible for matching all five white-ball numbers.
• Slightly Improved Odds. As a nice touch, the odds of winning the jackpot will improve slightly from 1 in 302.5 million to 1 in 290.5 million. Overall odds of winning a prize will also decrease slightly from 1 in 24 to 1 in 23.
• No Breakeven Prizes. With the new Mega Millions version, there will be no breakeven prizes. Regardless of the associated multiplier, players win at least double the cost of the play when they win. For example, the prize for matching just the yellow Mega Ball number will range from $10 up to $50.
• New Matrix 5 of 70 + 1 of 24. One yellow Mega Ball number is being removed from the matrix. So, players will select 5 of 70 white-ball numbers and 1 of 24 yellow Mega Ball numbers.
• $5 Price Point. Along with these enhancements comes a price adjustment with the cost of a ticket moving from $2/$3 a play to $5 a play per drawing. This is the second Mega Millions price change in the game’s 20 years.

What’s Not Changing?

Drawings will still occur on Tuesdays and Fridays.

For players who prefer to play a multimillion-dollar jackpot game at the $2 level with an optional multiplier add-on feature, Powerball is offered with drawings three times a week on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays.

The new Mega Millions game should further diversify the Louisiana Lottery’s product portfolio. With Powerball and Mega Millions having different starting jackpots, draw nights, and game features, we are giving our players more choices than ever before in how to play multistate, multimillion-dollar jackpot games all week long.

New Prize Chart

Going forward, the prize chart for Mega Millions and the Multiplier will function as described on the Mega Millions landing page.

Multidraw Step-Down

With a new matrix coming, the advance purchase multidraw feature for the current game is being temporarily stepped down according to the following schedule:

• 20-Draw Ticket: Last Day to Purchase (by 9 p.m.) is Tuesday, January 28, 2025
• 10-Draw Ticket: Last Day to Purchase (by 9 p.m.) is Tuesday, March 4, 2025
• 5-Draw Ticket: Last Day to Purchase (by 9 p.m.) is Friday, March 21, 2025
• 4-Draw Ticket: Last Day to Purchase (by 9 p.m.) is Tuesday, March 25, 2025
• 3-Draw Ticket: Last Day to Purchase (by 9 p.m.) is Friday, March 28, 2025
• 2-Draw Ticket: Last Day to Purchase (by 9 p.m.) is Tuesday, April 1, 2025

The multidraw feature will return to Mega Millions when sales for the new game start April 5, 2025.

How the Multiplier Feature Will Work

A random multiplier from 2X to 10X will be assigned to each play on the ticket at the time of purchase! Any non-jackpot base prizes won will be multiplied by that number. Note: Exchange tickets will print with the same multiplier while ticket replays will generate a random multiplier. On multidraw tickets, the multiplier printed applies to all drawings for that play.