News of an upcoming price hike for Mega Millions lottery tickets was met with mixed reactions among lottery players Monday.
In Massachusetts and beyond, though, lottery officials said the mark-up will be a good thing, increasing chances for bigger prizes and improving players’ odds to win.
“With the increased price of the ticket comes added value to the players,” said Massachusetts State Lottery Director of Communications Christian Teja. “There will be higher average jackpots. The odds of winning the jackpot will increase. The base level jackpot will be higher than it currently is.”
Mega Millions is played in states across the country. Tickets currently cost $2. Come April of next year, the price will jump to $5.
Part of a suite of other changes, the price increase is just the second of its kind in Mega Millions history after the game debuted with a ticket price of $1.
While the ticket price rises, Teja said Mega Millions will also increase its minimum prizes above $5, doing away with so-called “break even prizes” that only match the cost of a ticket.
“The Mass Lottery has been a part of Mega Millions since it initially launched in 1996 as The Big Game and we are excited for the latest rendition that will hopefully produce additional jackpot winners in Massachusetts,” said Massachusetts State Lottery Executive Director Mark William Bracken.
As lotteries advertise increased jackpots and improved odds, the Mega Millions changes are part of an effort to increase ticket revenue and provide more money to state lottery organizations.
Mega Millions participation rates are down, according to the Associated Press, with blockbuster jackpot values below $1 billion no longer drawing the reaction from players they once did.
Lotteries are hoping reinvigorated jackpots will draw players back to Mega Millions.
While the odds will remain low, Massachusetts had a history of producing jackpot winners, with five such winners since Mega Millions launched in its current form in 2002.
Six people have won prizes over $1 billion across the US over the course of Mega Millions history.
https://whdh.com/news/massachusetts-lottery-commission-says-upcoming-mega-millions-price-hike-will-increase-chances-for-big-prizes/