New rules for MegaMillions
The draw is 5/70 + 1/25
Tickets will be $2 each
In addition, there will be a second kind of ticket, where $3 lets you choose two sets of numbers, but either you win the jackpot or you win nothing.
The starting jackpot will be $40 million (instead of the current $25 million)
Also, apparently the smaller prize amounts will be increasing, but I cannot find a source for the actual payouts yet.
Quote: ThatDonGuyIn addition, there will be a second kind of ticket, where $3 lets you choose two sets of numbers, but either you win the jackpot or you win nothing.
I will be really curious to see how this is received.
I don't play very often, but when I do play I like to get one PowerBall ($2), one MegaMillion ($1), and one Scratch-Off ($2) for a nice round $5 bill.
Guess I'll have to slow my roll and drop down to a $1 Scratch-Off.
;)
Quote: rsactuaryI will be really curious to see how this is received.
I just saw a news report about it. They said they're making these changes due to "customer demands for higher paying jackpots."
I doubt they did any extensive surveys, but considering the frenzy when the jackpot gets huge, it's a fair assumption that they're right.Quote: IbeatyouracesI just saw a news report about it. They said they're making these changes due to "customer demands for higher paying jackpots."
I just buy 1 ticket to raise my chances from zero to non-zero.
Quote: billryanSo someone can hit 5/5 and miss the powerball by one and get nothing? Seems fair.
That will drive the first person to hit that insane.
| White | Mega | combinations | probability | pays | return |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 1 | 1 | 0.000000003304961888 | 40000000 | 0.1321984755 |
| 5 | 0 | 24 | 0.00000007931908531 | 1000000 | 0.07931908531 |
| 4 | 1 | 325 | 0.000001074112614 | 10000 | 0.01074112614 |
| 4 | 0 | 7,800 | 0.00002577870273 | 500 | 0.01288935136 |
| 3 | 1 | 20,800 | 0.00006874320727 | 200 | 0.01374864145 |
| 3 | 0 | 499,200 | 0.001649836974 | 10 | 0.01649836974 |
| 2 | 1 | 436,800 | 0.001443607353 | 10 | 0.01443607353 |
| 2 | 0 | 10,483,200 | 0.03464657646 | 0 | 0 |
| 1 | 1 | 3,385,200 | 0.01118795698 | 4 | 0.04475182793 |
| 1 | 0 | 81,244,800 | 0.2685109676 | 0 | 0 |
| 0 | 1 | 8,259,888 | 0.02729861504 | 2 | 0.05459723008 |
| 0 | 0 | 198,237,312 | 0.6551667609 | 0 | 0 |
| 302,575,350 | 1 | 0.3791801811 |
That’s almost 38 cents on your $2 bet.
PS
I did this on my phone, so someone might want to double check.
What they don't mention is, the payout for the $1 million prize drops from 999,999-1 to 499,999-1.
This reminds me of when the California lottery announced that its Big Spin wheel would have more million dollar spaces - by replacing some of the existing Grand Prize (which was always $2 million or more) spaces with $1 million spaces; in fact, the number of "$1 million or more" spaces decreased.
yup, this change is to attract those who only buy when the jackpot is huge.Quote: DJTeddyBearI doubt they did any extensive surveys, but considering the frenzy when the jackpot gets huge, it's a fair assumption that they're right.
they will still get the $$$ from the sheep that always play every week.
and the best way to get huge jackpot is to double the amount to buy a ticket.
aka compete with PowerBall.
hm.. 2 tix for $3 but only eligible for 1st or 2nd prize is a nice gimmick and aimed at those who only buy when the jackpot is huge.
kudos to the marketing firm who created this
Quote: 100xOddshm.. 2 tix for $3 but only eligible for 1st or 2nd prize is a nice gimmick and aimed at those who only buy when the jackpot is huge.
kudos to the marketing firm who created this
It's only the 1st prize. Jackpot or nothing. I would never ever ever buy a ticket like that.
Quote: rsactuaryIt's only the 1st prize. Jackpot or nothing. I would never ever ever buy a ticket like that.
Me either. Could you imagine royal flush or nothing in video poker.
That 2 plays for $3 sounds like a resort fee is coming to the lottery. Ridiculous. Only win the jackpot but none of the lesser prizes. I guess there are some people who think that's a good deal.
Quote: bushmanThat 2 plays for $3 sounds like a resort fee is coming to the lottery. Ridiculous. Only win the jackpot but none of the lesser prizes. I guess there are some people who think that's a good deal.
Yeah, the people who devised this scam!
Quote: bushmanThat 2 plays for $3 sounds like a resort fee is coming to the lottery. Ridiculous. Only win the jackpot but none of the lesser prizes. I guess there are some people who think that's a good deal.
Here's the way I see it: if somebody wanted to play for a chance at the million dollars, they would play every time, and not wait until the jackpot reached, say, $100 million. The only difference between playing with a $100 million jackpot and playing with a $200 million jackpot is the opportunity to win $100 million more if the jackpot hits. The "jackpot or nothing" option is targeting these people.
Quote: ThatDonGuyHere's the way I see it: if somebody wanted to play for a chance at the million dollars, they would play every time, and not wait until the jackpot reached, say, $100 million. The only difference between playing with a $100 million jackpot and playing with a $200 million jackpot is the opportunity to win $100 million more if the jackpot hits. The "jackpot or nothing" option is targeting these people.
So, pony up the extra $0.50 and get the chance at a lesser prize, while still having that shot at the million. Or, if you're paying $3 for 2, pony up the extra $1. I get playing solely for the million dollars, but at the expense of lesser prizes? Or, at least that is what my lesser mind thinks. I would be interested to see the numbers of those "special" tickets that are sold. "We have a demand for innovation to keep fresh, entertaining lottery games and to deliver the attention-grabbing jackpots," Mega Millions president Debbie D. Alford said in a statement. That certainly is some fresh innovation, she is delivering.
Quote: 100xOddsyup, this change is to attract those who only buy when the jackpot is huge.
they will still get the $$$ from the sheep that always play every week.
and the best way to get huge jackpot is to double the amount to buy a ticket.
aka compete with PowerBall.
hm.. 2 tix for $3 but only eligible for 1st or 2nd prize is a nice gimmick and aimed at those who only buy when the jackpot is huge.
kudos to the marketing firm who created this
I'm surprised state lotteries went along with the "just the jackpot" thing, assuming their opinion means anything for this decision.
A friend of mine owned a ghetto convenience store, and when I was in college I'd help him out occasionally running the lottery counter. Nearly everyone who wins a small $1-$5 prize puts that money towards another ticket (usually a scratchie if the jackpot was hit). If the Just The Jackpot wager becomes popular, it could result in some lost profits for the state lottos.
Quote: gamerfreakA friend of mine owned a ghetto convenience store, and when I was in college I'd help him out occasionally running the lottery counter. Nearly everyone who wins a small $1-$5 prize puts that money towards another ticket (usually a scratchie if the jackpot was hit). If the Just The Jackpot wager becomes popular, it could result in some lost profits for the state lottos.
A good point that I did not consider.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/articles.mlive.com/lottery/index.ssf/2017/10/mega_millions_jackpot_winner_c.amp
Quote: bushmanSo, pony up the extra $0.50 and get the chance at a lesser prize, while still having that shot at the million. Or, if you're paying $3 for 2, pony up the extra $1.
Something I did not consider up until now: $3 instead of $4 is one thing. A pool of people paying $300 for 100 quick-picks instead of $400 is another.
Of course, 100 tickets means 100 chances that the pool would have won $1 million had they spent the extra $100.
