BALTIMORE, MD — The Maryland Lottery is gearing up for significant changes to the Mega Millions game, with a new format set to debut on Tuesday, April 8.
In preparation, the number of advance drawings available for purchase will be temporarily reduced starting after the Friday, February 14 drawing. Currently, players can buy tickets for up to 15 consecutive drawings, but this number will decrease by one after each drawing through Friday, April 4.
Beginning April 5, players will once again be able to purchase up to 15 advance drawings, coinciding with the launch of new game features. The range of numbers for the Mega Ball will shift from 1–25 to 1–24, while the range for the first five numbers will remain 1–70.
The cost of Mega Millions tickets will increase from $2 to $5, and the starting jackpot will rise from $20 million to $50 million. Additionally, prizes across all eight non-jackpot tiers will increase, with the minimum prize jumping from $2 to $10.
Mega Millions tickets are available in 45 states, Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands, with drawings held every Tuesday and Friday at 11 p.m.