Mega Millions changes: Better odds, bigger jackpots

Mega Millions is being redesigned to bring more value to its players, with starting jackpots more than doubling from $15 million to $40 million, and faster-growing jackpots, the Oregon Lottery said Wednesday.

The Mega Millions game changes will begin Saturday, Oct. 28.

There will also be better odds to win $1 million prizes and higher secondary prizes. The ticket price also will change, moving from $1 to $2.

In the redesigned game, players select five numbers from 1 to 70, and one Mega Ball number from 1 to 25. Players will have a 1 in 24 overall chance of winning a prize.

Mega Millions is one of the world’s biggest and most recognizable lottery games. Introduced as The Big Game in August 1996 with six member states, the game grew, becoming Mega Millions in May 2002. Mega Millions currently is played in 46 jurisdictions: 44 states plus the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The largest Mega Millions jackpot was a $656 million prize split by three winners in Illinois, Kansas and Maryland in 2012.

Mega Millions drawings are held every Tuesday and Friday at 7:59 p.m.

Since the Oregon Lottery began selling tickets on April 25, 1985, it has earned over $11 billion for economic development, public education, state parks and watershed enhancements. For more information on the Oregon Lottery visit www.oregonlottery.org.