CALIFORNIA – California Lottery announced, starting April 8, a new version of Mega Millions promises bigger jackpots and bigger wins — more often.

Since the last change to Mega Millions in 2017, more than 1,200 players have become millionaires, an average of three millionaires per week. 

The new Mega Millions game will offer bigger prizes, including an automatic multiplier at every non-jackpot prize tier. It will also feature better odds of winning the jackpot, improved overall odds, larger starting jackpots, and faster-growing jackpots.

California Lottery spokesperson Carolyn Becker said the enhanced Mega Millions is not only thrilling news for players, it’s also exciting for public schools in California.

“For every ticket of the new Mega Millions game sold in our state, an extra two dollars will go right to schools,” said Becker.

Experts say average jackpot win will be more than $800 million vs. $450 million in current game

With higher-value prizes embedded throughout every tier of the game, tickets for the new Mega Millions game will increase to $5 per play. 

Enhancements to the game include: 

• Improved overall odds – Overall odds to win any prize will improve to 1:23 from 1:24 due to the removal of one gold Mega Ball from the game.
•  Larger starting jackpots – Following a jackpot win, the starting jackpot will reset to $50 million instead of the current variable amount, which has typically been $20 million.
• Faster-growing jackpots and bigger jackpots more frequently – Jackpots are expected to grow faster and get to higher dollar amounts more frequently in the new game. Game experts estimate that the average jackpot win in the new game will be more than $800 million vs. approximately $450 million in the current game structure.
• 2X-10X prize increase with built-in random multiplier – Every non-jackpot win will multiply its base prize by 2X, 3X, 4X, 5X, or 10X automatically. Non-jackpot prizes in the new game will range from typically $10 to $10 million vs. the $2 to approximately $1 million in the current game.
• Win more than the cost to play – With a minimum prize of $10 on a winning ticket in the new game, every winning ticket will typically pay out at least double the $5 cost for each play. In the current game, the smallest typical prize on a winning ticket and cost to play are the same: $2.

Unless someone wins the jackpot in the upcoming April 4 drawing, the jackpot from the current game will roll into the new game and continue to grow with ticket sales for the new game. 

Mega Millions is played in 45 states, Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Drawings happen at 8 p.m. Pacific Time on Tuesdays and Fridays in Atlanta, Georgia.

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