The Mega Millions you play today isn't the game that started in 1996. The number pools have changed six times, the price has gone from $1 to $2 to $5, and the optional Megaplier has given way to a multiplier on every play. Here's each change, with its dates and odds.
The game's formats at a glance
| Period | White balls | Extra ball | Price | Jackpot odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996–1999 (The Big Game) | 5 from 1 to 50 | 1 from 1 to 25 | $1 | 1 in 52,969,000 |
| 1999–2002 (The Big Game) | 5 from 1 to 50 | 1 from 1 to 36 | $1 | 1 in 76,275,360 |
| 2002–2005 | 5 from 1 to 52 | 1 from 1 to 52 | $1 | 1 in 135,145,920 |
| 2005–2013 | 5 from 1 to 56 | 1 from 1 to 46 | $1 | 1 in 175,711,536 |
| 2013–2017 | 5 from 1 to 75 | 1 from 1 to 15 | $1 | 1 in 258,890,850 |
| 2017–2025 | 5 from 1 to 70 | 1 from 1 to 25 | $2 | 1 in 302,575,350 |
| Since April 2025 | 5 from 1 to 70 | 1 from 1 to 24 | $5, multiplier included | 1 in 290,472,336 |
The odds come straight from the pools: the number of ways to choose five white balls, multiplied by the number of possible extra balls.
1998–1999: a second drawing and the cash option
The Big Game started with a single weekly drawing, on Fridays. In February 1998 it added the Tuesday drawing, and the Tuesday and Friday schedule has never changed since.
In January 1999 the pool for the extra ball grew from 25 to 36 numbers and winners got the choice of a cash option instead of the annuity for the first time.
2002: a new name and bigger pools
In May 2002, with New York and Ohio joining, the game became The Big Game Mega Millions, today simply Mega Millions. Both pools grew to 52 numbers: five white balls from 1 to 52 and one Mega Ball from 1 to 52.
2005: California joins and the odds lengthen
In June 2005, when California joined, the pools changed to five from 1 to 56 plus one from 1 to 46. The jackpot odds went from about 1 in 135 million to about 1 in 176 million.
2010: cross-selling with Powerball
The rules didn't change, but the map did. On January 31, 2010, the agreement that allowed states to sell both Mega Millions and Powerball took effect and 23 more lotteries started selling Mega Millions.
2013: 75 white balls and a $1 million second prize
Starting with the drawing of October 22, 2013, players picked five numbers from 1 to 75 and a Mega Ball from 1 to 15. The price stayed at $1, but the prizes grew:
- The starting jackpot rose from $12 million to $15 million, and it was set to grow by at least $5 million after each drawing without a winner.
- The second prize (five white balls) went from $250,000 to $1 million.
- The Megaplier gained a 5X value, so the second prize could reach $5 million.
- The overall odds of winning a prize became about 1 in 15.
2017: the $2 play
In October 2017 came the first price increase: from $1 to $2 per play. The pools changed to five from 1 to 70 plus one from 1 to 25, the starting jackpot rose to $40 million and the jackpot odds lengthened to 1 in 302,575,350. The odds of winning any prize went from about 1 in 15 to about 1 in 24. The Megaplier, still optional, cost $1 more.
2020: a lower starting jackpot during the pandemic
In April 2020, with sales slowing during the pandemic, the consortium cut the starting jackpot from $40 million to $20 million and eliminated the guaranteed minimum increase between drawings. The $20 million start lasted until the 2025 changes.
2025: $5, a built-in multiplier and a $50 million start
Announced on October 7, 2024, the latest overhaul arrived with the drawing of April 8, 2025. The last drawing of the old game was on April 4.
- The price rose to $5 per play, with a 2X to 10X multiplier assigned at random and printed on every ticket.
- The starting jackpot went from $20 million to $50 million.
- The Mega Ball pool shrank from 25 to 24 numbers, improving the jackpot odds to 1 in 290,472,336 and the odds of any prize to 1 in 23.07.
- Prizes went up at every tier: from $10 for the Mega Ball alone to $10 million for five white balls with a 10X.
- The optional Megaplier and Just the Jackpot were retired.
Tickets from the old game can still be claimed as long as the deadline set by the lottery that sold them hasn't passed. How the new multiplier works is in the Mega Millions multiplier.
What hasn't changed
- Drawings on Tuesday and Friday, since 1998.
- Two separate pools, drawn from two machines.
- A jackpot that rolls over with no cap and is shared equally among winners.
- The choice between an annuity and a cash option, since 1999.
How the game came to be, from its six founding states to today, is in Mega Millions history.
Frequently asked questions
When did Mega Millions go up to $5?
With the drawing of April 8, 2025. The $5 play includes a multiplier that replaced the optional $1 Megaplier of the old $2 game.
When did the Mega Ball change from 25 to 24 numbers?
In April 2025, with the new $5 game. The change improved the jackpot odds from 1 in 302,575,350 to 1 in 290,472,336.
Why do old statistics show numbers up to 75?
Because from October 2013 to October 2017 the white balls went up to 75, and until April 2025 there was a 25th Mega Ball. Statistics that mix those periods with today's game can be misleading.
Can I still claim a prize from the old game?
Yes, if the ticket was for a drawing on or before April 4, 2025, and you claim it before the deadline set by the lottery where you bought it.
Last reviewed: . Independent information: official results are published by the lottery that runs the game.