Speaking of the lottery, it's going up big time like 2 and 1/2 times??

[theking]

The price of Mega Millions tickets is set to increase from $2 to $5 starting in April 2025. This marks the second price adjustment in the game's history, with the first change occurring in 201723. The increase is part of a strategy to offer larger payouts while maintaining the game's popularity

[theking]

It's official now, lets see if the odds are really better during Tuesday's drawing:

Major Mega Millions changes coming Friday, tickets jump to $5 each
LANSING, MI -- Mega Millions players chasing the dream of winning a jackpot prize may need to build up their bankroll as major changes are coming to the multi-state lottery. Starting with the drawing on Friday, April 4, a single Mega Millions ticket will now cost $5 per set of numbers.

A set of numbers consists of five white balls between 1-70 and a gold Mega Ball between 1-24. Players who match all five white balls and the gold Mega Ball win the jackpot. Players can also win prizes depending on how many numbers they match.

Overall odds of winning have been improved as the prior game required the gold ball to be between 1-25. The odds of winning any prize are now 1:23, while the odds of winning the jackpot have dropped from 1:302 million to 1:290 million.

The price increase for each set of numbers is part of several major changes coming to the game this week. A pair of add-on features have been removed from the offerings including the Megaplier feature. That option applied a multiplier to a player’s set of numbers that would increase any non-jackpot win.

Now, all Mega Millions tickets include the multiplier feature which means all wins will be for at least double the cost of the set of numbers. The “just the jackpot” option which allowed players to only play for the jackpot prize has also been removed.

Officials say the changes are designed to increase the number of large jackpots and the prize amounts won by players.

“Beyond big jackpots, players told us they want bigger non-jackpot prizes and that’s exactly what this new game delivers,” said Joshua Johnston, Lead Director of the Mega Millions Consortium. “Players who had won $2 in the old game will now take home $10, $15, $20, $25 or $50 under this game. Those who had won $500 under the old rules will now take home $1,000; $1,500; $2,000; $2,500 or $5,000 in this new game. Non-jackpot prizes at every level are going up by 2X to 10X. That’s the kind of value the new Mega Millions will deliver to our players at every single drawing.”

At $5 per ticket, Mega Millions officials believe jackpots will grow much quicker, leading to the headline grabbing billion-dollar jackpots that bring out even the most casual lottery players. Each time the Mega Millions jackpot is won, the new starting jackpot will be worth $50 million, up from the previous starting prize of $20 million.

Mega Millions officials pointed out the price increase is just the second adjustment made since the game debuted in 2002. The previous increase was made in 2017 when tickets increased from $1 to $2. The price of a Mega Millions ticket is now five times more than it was eight years ago.

The game’s main competitor, Powerball has not announced any plans to change the cost of its tickets. Powerball tickets are $2 each with its multiplier option available for an additional $1 per set of numbers.

Mega Millions is available in 45 states plus the District of Columbia and the U. S. Virgin Islands. Drawings are held every Tuesday and Friday at 11 p.m. EST.

Because no one won Tuesday night’s drawing, the jackpot for the drawing on April 4 will be worth $43 million with a cash option of $20 million.