MEGA Millions players are turning their backs on the game and switching to Powerball as jackpots rise faster despite a recent rule change.
The shift comes after Mega Millions hiked its ticket price earlier this year, a move that was meant to spark bigger rollovers and non-jackpot prizes.
Mega Millions players are ditching the game after a ticket price hike (stock image)[/caption]
Many are switching to Powerball instead, where prizes are soaring faster (stock image)[/caption]
Across the US, players have noticed the difference, with many now choosing Powerball as the more rewarding option.
In April, Mega Millions raised ticket prices to $5 – the first increase since 2017 – and cut its pool of Mega Balls from 25 to 24.
Officials claimed the shake-up would improve odds and double or even multiply non-jackpot prizes up to 10 times.
“Beyond big jackpots, players told us they want bigger non-jackpot prizes and that’s exactly what this new game delivers,” Joshua Johnston, lead director of the Mega Millions Consortium, said in March in a press statement.
But players say jackpots haven’t grown the way they were promised, and the pace of rollovers is slower than last year.
According to USA TODAY, jackpot increases in recent streaks have been nearly identical for multiple rollovers, leaving many questioning whether sales forecasts are driving growth as intended.
One player wrote on X: “I stopped playing #MegaMillions with the price change in April. However I continue to play #PowerBall 3x weekly & #SuperLotto 2x weekly.”
Another added: “I stopped playing and only occasionally play superlotto or powerball now.”
A third complained: “I’m not paying $5.00 for a lotto ticket, I can get two Power Balls for cheaper. Plus they didn’t increase the odds of winning. I also notice Powerball seems to go up quick too.”
Others believe the higher price is backfiring, writing: “I wonder if the people responsible for raising the mega millions ticket price from $2 to $5 are having the opposite effect. Powerball jackpots have soared while Mega Millions hasn’t changed much.”
Despite criticism, some players are still landing huge wins under the new rules.
On Friday night, one ticket in New York scooped $3 million by matching the first five numbers but missing the Mega Ball.
That player became the biggest winner of the draw after a new rule automatically tripled the $1 million second-tier prize.
A second New Yorker also won $1 million but had a 2X multiplier on their ticket, doubling the payout.
Top lottery winners in the US
Millions dream of winning the lottery and finding fame and fortune. These are the biggest winners in US lottery history.
- Edwin Castro – $2.04 billion, Powerball, Nov. 8, 2022, in California.
- Theodorus Struyck – $1.765 billion, Powerball, Oct. 11, 2023, in California.
- Unknown winner – $1.602 billion, Mega Millions, Aug. 8, 2023, in Florida.
- Marvin and Mae Acosta from Los Angeles, California, John and Lisa Robinson from Munford, Tennessee, and Maureen Smith and David Kaltschmidt from Melbourne Beach, Florida – $1.586 billion, Powerball, Jan. 13, 2016.
- Unknown winner – $1.537 billion, Mega Millions, Oct. 23, 2018, from South Carolina.
- Unknown winner – he sued the mother of his child to keep his identity hidden – $1.348 billion, Mega Millions, Jan. 13, 2023, from Maine.
- Unknown winner – $1.337 billion, Mega Millions, July 29, 2022, from Illinois.
- Cheng and Duanpen Saephan, and Laiza Liem Chao – $1.326 billion, Powerball, April 7, 2024, from Oregon.
- Rosemary Casarotti – $1.22 billion, Mega Millions, December 27 2024, from California
- Unknown winner – $1.13 billion, Mega Millions, March 26, from New Jersey
The winning numbers for August 15 were 4, 17, 27, 34, 69 and Mega Ball 16.
Nobody hit the $198 million jackpot, meaning the top prize has now rolled over to an estimated $216 million for August 19.
The last Mega Millions jackpot winner came on June 27 in Virginia, when a lucky player bagged $348 million – the largest win of 2025 so far.
Other jackpot winners this year include $112 million in Ohio in April, $344 million in Illinois in March, and $113 million in January.
Mega Millions bosses argue the new rules will eventually deliver faster-growing jackpots and more billion-dollar winners.
Akshay Khanna, CEO of Jackpot.com, told The U.S. Sun the changes will “ultimately prove to be a big win for lottery players.”
He pointed to the automatic multiplier as “appealing” and said players would “come to recognize the added benefits that this price increase enables.”
Since Mega Millions launched over 20 years ago, there have been six billion-dollar jackpots, including Rosemary Casarotti’s $1.2 billion win in December.
But for now, it’s Powerball that is pulling in players with its faster-rising prizes – leaving Mega Millions struggling to win back its fan base.
