Illinois Lottery’s Mega Millions Changes You Should Know
I don't play the lottery often, but when I do, I immediately launch into a full-blown daydream about retiring early. So when Mega Millions announced they were making changes to improve our chances of winning big, they got my attention.
Mega Millions Just Got a Glow-Up… Sort Of
As of April 8, Mega Millions tickets now cost $5 instead of $2. It's only the second price change in more than 20 years, so I guess they were due. The upside? Bigger jackpots, faster. The new starting jackpot is $50 million instead of $20 million, and it'll grow even quicker every time no one wins.
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Officials say we'll see more of those headline-grabbing billion-dollar jackpots—which, yes, I will absolutely continue to not win.
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Wait Does This Mean I'll Actually Win?
Technically, yes. But practically? Still nope. The odds of winning the jackpot are now slightly better 1 in 290 million. So you're still more likely to find a pothole-free street in Rockford than match all six numbers. That said, smaller prizes have improved, and every ticket comes with a multiplier (up to 10x)—which might win you enough for a fancy coffee.
Fox 32 Chicago takes a deeper dive into our odds of winning and how to play Mega Millions.
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Gallery Credit: Chandler Friedman