Mega Millions lottery tickets, which currently cost $2 a piece, are expected to more than double in price in 2025.
In 2022, Mega Millions lottery officials started considering a price increase and a few other adjustments to the game in Texas, according to local news outlet KVUE in Austin, Texas.
Rumors of the price increase for Mega Millions tickets also started circulating online earlier this year, after Casino.org and LotteryGeeks.com reported that “the Mega Millions Consortium was mulling a substantial ticket price surge,” in April.
Both KVUE and SanAngelo Live confirmed that the rumors will likely become true for Texans, based on documents from the Texas Lottery Commission that outline the proposed changes. Casino.org also reported the Texas Lottery update, outlining exactly what changes could be coming.
Mega Millions still hasn’t confirmed or commented on if or when these proposed changes will happen or which states they would take effect in, if enacted.
“Newly disclosed documents from the Texas Lottery suggest the cost increase is only one of several big changes likely coming to the lottery game played in 45 states, Washington, DC, and the US Virgin Islands,” the Casino.org update says.
Here’s how much lottery experts expect Mega Millions tickets to cost if the price increase is accepted, what other changes Mega Millions is proposing (according to the Texas Lottery documents) and some frequently asked questions about the game.
What is the current price for a Mega Millions ticket?
The current price of a Mega Millions ticket is $2, which is expected to increase to $5 in 2025.
“While the Mega Millions Consortium is staying quiet on the rumored gameplay changes, the Texas Lottery’s proposed rule adjustments suggest the price for a basic ticket will increase from $2 to $5 next April,” Casino.org’s report says.
And a price increase isn’t the only change that is being proposed, according to the Texas Lottery documents and Casino.org. Mega Millions is also considering swapping the Megaplier for an automatic multiplier that would apply to its smaller prizes.
“Instead of the optional Megaplier, the proposed rules suggest implementing an automatic multiplier that could multiply non-jackpot prizes by 2, 3, 4, 5, or 10 times,” Casino.org says.
According to the update, the odds of winning the jackpot and lower-tier prizes will slightly increase with another proposed change that would reduce the number of Mega Balls from 25 to 24.
These proposed changes, if accepted, are proposed to take effect in Texas in April 2025, with the first drawing including the changes set for Tuesday, April 8, 2025.
"Texas Lottery Controller Sergio Rey stated that the rule changes are not anticipated to have a significant fiscal impact on state or local governments. Moreover, no adverse effects on small businesses, rural communities, or employment are expected," San Angelo Live reported in August.
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Did anybody hit the Mega Millions? Where was the $800 million lottery ticket sold?
This week, on Tuesday, September 10, a $2 Mega Millions ticket made a lucky someone a millionaire, 800 times over. And while that ticket was purchased in another state, a Florida-bought ticket also won big. So check those numbers.
After no one matched all five numbers plus the Mega Ball inthe Friday, Sept. 6, Mega Millions drawingfor $740 million, the jackpot shot up to $800 million for theSeptember 10 drawing.
Tuesday's Mega Millions winning jackpot ticket was purchased in Texas. The $800 million prize has a cash option of $404.2 million. Texas Lottery officials say the winning ticket was a quick pick ticket bought at a Murphy USA in Sugar Land, in the Houston area.
In case you're wondering, the winning numbers forthe Mega Millions lottery drawing on Tuesday, Sept. 10were 1-2-16-24-66 and the Mega Ball was 6. Megaplier was 4x.
Four other tickets matched 5 more $1 million prizes, including one in Florida. The other tickets were purchased in California, New York and Washington.
The Florida match 5 ticket was bought at the Big Boss Store at 1739 US Highway 331 South in Defuniak Springs.
How long has Mega Millions been rolling over?
The last Mega Millions lottery streak started Friday, June 7, after someone in Illinois matched all five numbers plus the Mega Ball in the Tuesday, June 4, drawing for $560 million. It ended on Tuesday, Sept. 10, when a winning ticket in Texas matched all five numbers and the Mega Ball for $800 million.
Here's a recap of the streak:
- Tuesday, Sept. 10: $800 million
- Friday, Sept. 6: $740 million
- Tuesday, Sept. 3: $681 million
- Friday, Aug. 30: $627 million
- Tuesday, Aug. 27: $582 million
- Friday, Aug. 23: $535 million
- Tuesday, Aug. 20: $498 million
- Friday, Aug. 16: $464 million
- Tuesday, Aug. 13: $435 million
- Friday, Aug. 9: $405 million
- Tuesday, Aug. 6: $374 million
- Friday, Aug. 2: $358 million
- Tuesday, July 30: $331 million
- Friday, July 26: $306 million
- Tuesday, July 23: $279 million
- Friday, July 19: $251 million
- Tuesday, July 16: $226 million
- Friday, July 12: $203 million
- Tuesday, July 9 $181 million
- Friday, July 5: $162 million
- Tuesday, July 2: $137 million
- Friday, June 28: $116 million
- Tuesday, June 25: $97 million
- Friday, June 21: $80 million
- Tuesday, June 18: $61 million
- Friday, June 14: $47 million
- Tuesday, June 11: $30 million
- Friday, June 7: $20 million
How long do you have to cash in a Florida Lottery ticket?
Prizes for Florida Lottery must be claimed within 180 days (six months) from the date of the drawing. To claim a single-payment cash option, a winner has within the first 60 days after the applicable draw date to claim it.
What are the odds of winning Mega Millions?
The odds of winning are pretty low. According to theMega Millions site, players currently have a 1 in 302,575,350 chance to match all five white balls plus the gold Mega Ball. Prizes range from $2 (for matching the Mega Ball) to the grand prize jackpot, which varies.
Are Lottery winners public record in Florida? Can you claim lottery winnings in Florida anonymously?
According toFlorida Lottery's website, winners cannot remain anonymous: "Florida law mandates that the Florida Lottery provide records containing information such as the winner's name, city of residence; game won, date won, and amount won to any third party who requests the information."
However, the site states, the "names of lottery winners claiming prizes of $250,000 or greater will be temporarily exempt from public disclosure for 90 days from the date the prize is claimed, unless otherwise waived by the winner."
Lottery experts and lawyers have said there are ways to remain anonymous if you win.
Top 10 biggest Mega Millions lottery jackpots
As of Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024, these are the largest Mega Millions prizes in the history of the game, according tomegamillions.com.
- The largest Mega Millions jackpot won on a single ticket was for $1.58 billion for Aug. 8, 2023, drawing. Final sales pushed the grand prize to $1.602 billion. The winning ticket was sold at a Neptune Beach, Florida, Publix. Saltines Holdings LLC of Miami, Florida, claimed the prize.
- The second-largest Mega Millions jackpot was $1.537 billion, won in South Carolina on Oct. 23, 2018.
- $1.348 billion won in Maine on Jan. 13, 2023
- $1.337 billion won in Illinois on July 29, 2022
- $1.128 billion won in Neptune, New Jersey, on March 26, 2024
- $1.050 billion won in Michigan on Jan. 22, 2021
- $800 won in Texas on Sept. 110, 2024
- $552 million won in Illinois on June 4, 2024
- $543 million won in California on July 24, 2018
- $536 million won in Indiana on July 8, 2016
When did lotto jackpots hit $1 billionor more? How many times has Mega Millions and Powerball lottery jackpots reached $2 billion?
As of Sept. 11, 2024, there have been 11 lottery jackpots that have reached or surpassed $1 billion. Only once has a jackpot surpassed $2 billion.
- $2.04 billionPowerball prize, Nov. 7, 2022,Edwin Castro of Altadena, California
- $1.73 billionPowerball prize, Oct. 11, 2023,Theodorus Struyck of California(ticket purchased at Midway Market in California)
- $1.586 billionPowerball prize, Jan. 13, 2016, Marvin and Mae Acosta of California,Maureen Smith and David Kaltschmidt of Melbourne Beach, Florida, andJohn and Lisa Robinson of Munford, Tennessee
- $1.58 billionMega Millions prize, Aug. 8, 2023, Saltines Holdings LLC of Miami, Florida
- $1.537 billion Mega Millions prize, Oct. 23, 2018, won by an anonymous player in South Carolina
- $1.348 billion Mega Millions prize, Jan. 13, 2023, LaKoma Island Investments, LLC, with the ticket purchased in Lebanon, Maine
- $1.337 billion Mega Millions prize, July 29, 2022, won by an anonymous partnership with a ticket purchased in Des Plaines, Illinois
- $1.326 billion Powerball prize, April 6, 2024, Cheng and Duanpen Saephan and Laiza Chao of Oregon
- $1.128 billion Mega Millions prize, March 26, 2024, won by an anonymous winner in New Jersey with the ticket purchased at ShopRite Liquor No. 781 in Neptune Township, New Jersey
- $1.08 billion Powerball prize, July 19, 2023, Yanira Alvarez of California
- $1.050 billion Mega Millions prize, Jan. 22, 2021, won by the Wolverine FLL Club of Oakland County, Michigan
