Montana Lottery reveals game modifications that could come as soon as 2025
UPDATE — Watch Lottery Post's exclusive video report
UPDATE 2 — New information from Montana Lottery
Includes video report
By Kate Northrop
Note: One state lottery indicated that these amendments to the game are in progress of undergoing final review, but we are attempting to confirm it with a second source. State lotteries may not yet be ready to officially announce the following changes, and it is unconfirmed whether these changes are proposed or definite. Considering the information was sourced from the Montana Lottery directly, however, Lottery Post felt it necessary to cover the announcement even if they are not formally confirmed directly by the Mega Millions Consortium.
In a Commission meeting this week, the Montana Lottery revealed proposed game changes coming to the Mega Millions multi-state game that include an increase in ticket price, improved odds, and a different way to play, with changes coming as soon as 2025.
Next year, Mega Millions might look a lot different. Lottery players may be seeing a huge overhaul to the multi-state game, which will impact the ticket price, the odds of winning, and what is included in a play.
If you weren't paying close attention, you might have missed a huge announcement about how Mega Millions is slated to change. On Tuesday, proposed game changes were quietly revealed to the public in a small Montana Lottery Commission meeting. There is no official press release or statement on the official Mega Millions website discussing these amendments, but the meeting attendees confirmed that the changes were indeed being passed on to the Montana Lottery by the Mega Millions Consortium for their review and eventual approval.
"The Mega Millions Consortium has determined that in Spring of 2025, they will be implementing these changes," Montana Lottery Marketing and Sales Director Anne Charpentier said in the meeting.
"Mega Millions is a national jackpot game that is managed by the Mega Millions Consortium," she continued. "This group makes all the decisions surrounding the Mega Millions game and any enhancements applied to the game design."
In March 2022, Lottery Post sat down with then-Mega Millions Lead Director Pat McDonald about the future of the game. During our interview, he hinted at murmurs circulating within the game group about raising the price of a ticket from $2 to $5 but dismissed it as an unlikely possibility.
Now, hiking ticket prices for the nationwide game may be a reality. This is "the direction they've decided to go," Charpentier said, with "they" possibly referring to the Mega Millions Consortium.
Charpentier said they anticipate a financial loss to some degree in raising the ticket cost. In the past, they have seen "upwards of 35% of players vacate the game" whenever there is an increase in the price point for a game, but it's "always made up by the other [percentage] that have stayed and played that extra dollar that has been asked of them to stay in it."
There may be a silver lining.
While dedicated lottery players may bemoan the hit their wallets are about to take from the increase, there are at least other positive changes to look forward to. One of those is increased odds at winning.
Currently, the odds of winning the Mega Millions jackpot are about 1 in 302 million with five regular white ball numbers between 1 and 70 and one Mega Ball between 1 and 25 to choose from. The new odds at winning the jackpot will be 1 in 278.369 million. In comparison, the odds at winning the Powerball jackpot are 1 in 292.201 million. The odds at winning any prize in Mega Millions will slightly improve from 1 in 24 to 1 in 22.15.
The Lottery did not confirm exactly how the number matrix would change, but based on the new proposed odds, Lottery Post estimates that two gold Mega Balls will be removed from the number matrix to bring it down to 23 from 25, and that the regular white ball number matrix will remain at numbers 1 to 70.
The Lottery says that the average amount a jackpot will be hit at is projected to be about $694 million, a noticeable increase from the previous $387 million. These changes may result in more frequent billion-dollar jackpots.
There's also the Megaplier feature, which will now be incorporated into every ticket purchase.
"The multiplier of 1X up to 10X will be added to each play automatically, so Megaplier, which was an optional purchase, is now going to be automatically added to each play," Charpentier revealed. "It will be randomly selected for the player, so randomly, a multiplier will be added to each play."
Randomly assigning a multiplier number to each ticket would eliminate the need for a separate Megaplier drawing, which is what Lottery Post anticipates, although the Lottery did not directly confirm that.
In the meeting, the Lottery estimated that at least 45%, possibly 55%, of players who buy Mega Millions tickets voluntarily add the Megaplier feature to their plays for an extra dollar. Participation levels in Montana for the Megaplier option are higher than in other states, Charpentier stated.
Another positive change is something that players have long been asking for since the pandemic — a higher starting jackpot. Every time the top prize is won and the jackpot run ends, it resets to $20 million. With the coming changes, this starting jackpot will increase to $50 million every time a new cycle begins.
Lastly, the game is slated to go through a brand refresh, with a new logo and graphics. The play slip will also get an overhaul, since the Megaplier is no longer an optional feature for players to select and will instead be automatically included in a play.
The Montana Lottery Commission is set to review and approve the changes in September.
VIDEO: Watch Lottery Post's exclusive report
June 15 Update — New information from the Montana Lottery
As of June 15, the Montana Lottery has informed Lottery Post that some of the proposed changes presented in the Commission meeting have changed.
- The 1X multiplier will be removed entirely, leaving the 2X, 3X, 4X, 5X, and 10X multiplier.
- The odds of winning the jackpot, previously presented as 1 in 278.369 million in the Commission meeting, will instead be 1 in 290 million. Lottery Post estimates that this means the removal of one Mega Ball number in the number matrix, not two, making the possible new Mega Ball number matrix 1 through 24.
- The new overall odds of winning any prize, previously presented in the Commission meeting as 1 in 22.15, will instead be 1 in 23.07.
Seems six of one and 1/2 dozen of the other.
It this comes to fruition, I'm slowing down my playing considerably---not worth it. As for the multiplier going up to 10X hoping that it will be there regardless of the jackpot. PB cuts theirs off after it gets to $150 million. It seems that it only gets to 10X maybe 2-3 times a year.
The Lucky for Life Jackpot Odds are 1:30,821,472.
The jackpot is not won every day.
I won't throw a party just because the odds are not 1: 278.369M.
I buy one ticket for each draw plus the multiplier for a total of $6 a week.
To keep my play constant I have to add $4 to my weekly budget.
The 1X multiplier is a scam, there will be more 1X balls that the other numbers.
I don't view it a win for me, it's more money out of my pocket.
Regardless of the reduced odds and the increased starting jackpot, you will spend more.
They have done their math, the odds are in their favor.
The lottery wins all the time - the house wins always.
Any Changes is Good Just bring me $5 Billion Dollar Jackpots 💕🎉🎊🦅
Head pounding, but thought the article said with $5 cost, the Megaplier is automatic. Not for California I'm sure!!
California doesn't need any more incentives 😁🎉
Every time they switch a game up and say the consumer doesn't more chances to win or more chances to win big. Actually, the lottery commission wants more chances to take more of your money.
let me say this if new york did that I wont play anymore 5 bucks for a mega nope
I have a fixed budget for lottery tickets, and I've adjusted my play pattern several times as the games have changed. With this change, there will no longer be room for MM in my budget.
Hmmmm $ 50 mil starting jackpots ..... What do they estimate the following jackpot to increase.
Multiplier 10 x .... Does that include 2nd prize/ 1st runner up?
I'll still play but .... won't but a ticket until it hits 200 mil ..... And won't but 2 tickets until it hits 400 mil etc etc. gotta be economical!
Lastly ... Would it hurt the consortium to reduce the annuity to 20 years instead of 29?
l have another suggestion that all players will love . Why force people to Choose Annuity vs Lump sum . This war has been going on for ever and most players go broke within three years. So why not offer 50/50 payments so fifty percent goes to lump sum and fifty percent goes to Annuity it's not like it will kill them . It will be a win win for everyone 😁🙏💕
worst case scenario they can offer this option for extra $1 lol 😝 l take it
Yes the megaplier is automatic with the $5.
It was also "automatic" with $3 and that is what I used to play. So now that's $5 and $10 for the two draws in a week as opposed to $6 for the two draws in a week.
Just to see how we will all be on the losing end, the first five balls will remain the same 1 to 70.
But with $5 you could only win 1M second prize even with the megaplier on the ticket because there is a 1X ball.
There is no longer a bare minimum of 2M with the megaplier.
Of course you can argue that it could land on the 10X.
If the 10X on PB is anything to go by, I guess it will land there once a year.
Resets to $50 Million ????
You can't even get the game back to $40 Million on a restart.....Remember that nice article you folks put out on 10/18/2017 ??
" 10/18/2017 Mega Millions is being redesigned to bring more value to its players with larger starting jackpots and faster rolls. Starting jackpots will more than double from $15 million to $40 million, and jackpots will grow faster overall. There will be better odds to win $1 million prizes and higher secondary prizes. The ticket price also will change, moving from $1 to $2."
Cant say I wont play but will say I wont play until the jackpot is over $2 Billion. Nobody is going to win and the odds are still terrible. For $5 the odds should have been around 180,000,000 to 1.
I have suggested in the past that they offer players choices on the payout.
Take some in cash and some in an annuity or all in cash or all in an annuity. With the player deciding on flat vs increasing annuity and from 11,16,21,26 or 31 year payouts. The current annuity structure is discriminatory as it is ageist. Why would someone over 50-55 want an increasing annuity to get a lot more money just before they die? Cash plus a flat annuity should be an option. For $5 the players should get to choose how it is payed out if they ever win.