The Mega Millions Megaplier was an optional feature in the Mega Millions lottery that allowed players to increase their non-jackpot winnings by 2, 3, 4 or 5 times. It provided players with the chance to multiply their winnings beyond the base amount for an additional $1 per play.
The Megaplier feature was introduced in January 2011 by the Mega Millions consortium, which included lottery organizations from multiple U.S. states. It was available in most jurisdictions that offered the Mega Millions game. Here are some quick facts about the Mega Millions Megaplier:
- Cost $1 extra per Mega Millions play
- Multiplied non-jackpot prizes by 2, 3, 4 or 5 times
- Did not apply to the Mega Millions jackpot
- Randomly selected Megaplier number before each draw
- Increased players’ chances to win any prize
The Megaplier provided lottery players with an easy way to boost their winnings. For an extra $1 per ticket, players could potentially multiply their prizes by up to 5 times the base amount – except for the jackpot. This exciting feature added more fun and prizes to the popular Mega Millions game.
How the Mega Millions Megaplier Worked
The Mega Millions Megaplier was an add-on feature that players could opt into when purchasing Mega Millions tickets. Here is an overview of how it worked:
- It cost an extra $1 per Mega Millions play to add the Megaplier.
- Players had to purchase the Megaplier at the time of buying their Mega Millions ticket.
- Before each Mega Millions drawing, a Megaplier number (2, 3, 4 or 5) was randomly selected.
- If a player won a non-jackpot prize in that drawing, their prize was multiplied by the Megaplier number, increasing it 2, 3, 4 or 5 times.
- Megaplier numbers of 5 were selected less frequently than lower ones.
- The Megaplier only applied to non-jackpot prizes. It did not affect the Mega Millions jackpot.
So for an extra $1 per ticket, Mega Millions players had the chance to significantly boost their secondary prizes. The Megaplier number was drawn in advance of the actual Mega Millions drawing. All players who purchased the Megaplier saw their prizes increased by the same randomly selected multiplier.
Megaplier Number Frequency
The Megaplier number was randomly chosen before each Mega Millions drawing according to the following frequency:
- 5x – 5% of the time
- 4x – 15% of the time
- 3x – 50% of the time
- 2x – 40% of the time
As shown above, lower multipliers were selected more often than higher ones. But players had the excitement of waiting to see which Megaplier number would be picked, hoping it would be a 4x or 5x to maximize their prizes.
Prize Payouts with Megaplier
Here is an example of how the Megaplier impacted prize payouts for the various Mega Millions prize levels:
Prize Level | Normal Prize | Megaplier 2x | Megaplier 3x | Megaplier 4x | Megaplier 5x |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Match 5+0 | $1 million | $2 million | $3 million | $4 million | $5 million |
Match 4+1 | $10,000 | $20,000 | $30,000 | $40,000 | $50,000 |
Match 4+0 | $500 | $1,000 | $1,500 | $2,000 | $2,500 |
Match 3+1 | $150 | $300 | $450 | $600 | $750 |
Match 3+0 | $10 | $20 | $30 | $40 | $50 |
Match 2+1 | $10 | $20 | $30 | $40 | $50 |
Match 1+1 | $4 | $8 | $12 | $16 | $20 |
Match 0+1 | $2 | $4 | $6 | $8 | $10 |
As shown above, the Megaplier could dramatically increase the lower and mid-tier Mega Millions prizes. While the jackpot was not affected, all other prize levels were multiplied by 2x, 3x, 4x or 5x when players purchased the Megaplier.
Megaplier Odds
The overall odds of winning any Mega Millions prize were 1 in 24 when the Megaplier was added to a ticket. This compared favorably to the 1 in 37 overall odds without the Megaplier.
Here were the odds of winning specific prizes with the Megaplier option:
Prize Level | Odds of Winning with Megaplier |
---|---|
Match 5+0 (Jackpot) | 1 in 302,575,350 |
Match 5+0 | 1 in 12,607,306 |
Match 4+1 | 1 in 931,001 |
Match 4+0 | 1 in 38,792 |
Match 3+1 | 1 in 14,547 |
Match 3+0 | 1 in 606 |
Match 2+1 | 1 in 693 |
Match 1+1 | 1 in 89 |
Match 0+1 | 1 in 37 |
As shown above, the chances of winning any prize were better with the Megaplier option. And players had the opportunity to win multiple times on a single ticket, further improving their odds.
History of the Mega Millions Megaplier
The Megaplier add-on feature was introduced in 2011 as part of major changes to the Mega Millions game. Here is an overview of the history:
- Launched January 31, 2011 in most Mega Millions states.
- Part of changes made to Mega Millions that included larger jackpots and better overall odds.
- Originally only offered multiplier numbers of 2x or 3x.
- 4x multiplier added October 2013.
- 5x multiplier added October 2017.
- Megaplier continued until final Mega Millions drawing on June 24, 2022.
When it was initially introduced, players could multiply their winnings by either 2x or 3x with the Megaplier. In October 2013, lottery organizers added a 4x multiplier option. And in October 2017, the 5x Megaplier number was added to offer players a chance at even larger prize multipliers.
The Megaplier remained in place until the final Mega Millions drawing was held on June 24, 2022 before the revised Mega Millions game launched. It provided over a decade of multiplying fun and extra prizes for lottery players nationwide.
States That Offered the Megaplier
The Mega Millions Megaplier was available in most states that sold Mega Millions tickets. However, not all participating Mega Millions jurisdictions opted to offer the Megaplier.
Here is a list of the 45 states plus Washington D.C. and the U.S. Virgin Islands that sold lottery tickets with the Megaplier option:
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- U.S. Virgin Islands
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- Washington D.C.
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
The above states and territories accounted for nearly all Mega Millions ticket sales. So players in almost all participating jurisdictions could enjoy playing with the Megaplier.
The only Mega Millions states that did not offer the Megaplier option were Alabama, Alaska, Hawaii, Mississippi, Nevada, and Utah. So players in those few states were unable to multiply their secondary prizes when playing Mega Millions.
Notable Megaplier Wins
Over the 11+ years that the Megaplier was in existence, there were many notable lottery winners who multiplied their prizes. Here are some of the biggest Megaplier winners over the years:
- In July 2011, a $1 million prize was multiplied to $5 million with the Megaplier in New York. This was one of the earliest big Megaplier wins.
- A Virginia lottery player won a $1 million prize and multiplied it to $4 million with the Megaplier in September 2013.
- In August 2017, a $1 million prize turned into $3 million for a lucky winner in Illinois thanks to the Megaplier.
- A Kansas resident multiplied a $10,000 prize to $30,000 with a 3x Megaplier number in May 2018.
- In March 2019, a $50,000 prize in New Hampshire became $150,000 with the 3x Megaplier.
- A Texas lottery player multiplied a $1 million prize to $2 million with the Megaplier in September 2020.
The examples above illustrate how the Megaplier consistently created bigger winners who were able to multiply their secondary prizes. While no one ever won the jackpot with the Megaplier, thousands of players still won much more over the years thanks to the Megaplier option.
Strategy and Tips for Megaplier
Here are some key strategy tips and considerations when it came to playing Mega Millions with the Megaplier add-on:
- The $1 extra cost per ticket was low compared to the benefit. With the chance for 2x to 5x prizes, the expected return from the Megaplier exceeded $1.
- With better overall odds, it almost always made sense for players to add the Megaplier unless they were buying a very large number of tickets.
- The Megaplier substantially increased the chances of turning a smaller prize into something very sizable. Even a $10 or $20 prize could become $50 or $100 with the Megaplier.
- Players had to purchase the Megaplier at the time of buying Mega Millions tickets. It could not be added after the drawing.
- The Megaplier did not impact the Mega Millions jackpot amount. But it did give players more chances at every other prize level.
- Syndicates or player groups often found the Megaplier useful when splitting larger numbers of Mega Millions tickets.
In general, the Megaplier provided a great way to increase Mega Millions prizes for a minimal $1 extra per ticket. For most players, it was a smart play with big benefits and added excitement.
The End of the Megaplier
After over a decade of multiplying prizes, the Mega Millions Megaplier option came to an end in 2022. The final Mega Millions drawing that offered the Megaplier was on June 24, 2022.
This coincided with sweeping changes made to the Mega Millions game, including:
- New $20 million starting jackpot (previously $40 million minimum)
- Bigger overall odds of winning
- Higher secondary prizes
- Option for 6-number plays for higher prizes
Given the broad changes to Mega Millions, the lottery organizers also chose to discontinue the Megaplier feature. So it was retired after the June 24 drawing.
While the Megaplier went away, the current Mega Millions game still offers larger prizes. So players can win big without the need for a separate multiplier option.
Conclusion
In summary, the Mega Millions Megaplier provided over a decade of multiplying excitement for lottery players across the U.S. For just $1 extra per ticket, players could multiply their winnings on all prizes except the jackpot. Randomly chosen Megaplier numbers of 2x, 3x, 4x or 5x meant substantial prize increases. While the Megaplier is no longer offered, it helped create thousands of bigger winners over the years. For Mega Millions lottery enthusiasts, the Megaplier will be remembered as a fun add-on that brought extra intrigue and winnings potential.