New Mega Millions Game Coming; Offering Bigger Prizes and $50 Million Starting Jackpots

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Michiganders will get to experience the new version of Mega Millions, the lottery game that has produced a record seven jackpot wins exceeding $1 billion following the final drawing of the current game on Friday, April 4.

The new version of the game will feature bigger prizes at every non-jackpot prize tier, better odds to win the jackpot, better odds overall, larger starting jackpots, and faster-growing jackpots. The first drawing under the new prize structure will be held Tuesday, April 8, at 11 p.m. Eastern.

A full prize matrix is available here.

Other game enhancements benefitting players include:

  • Improved overall odds – Overall odds to win any prize will improve to 1:23 from 1:24 due to the removal of one gold Mega Ball from the game.
  • Improved odds to win the jackpot – Odds to win the jackpot will improve to 1:290,472,336 from 1:302,575,350 due to the removal of one gold Mega Ball from the game. The new game will feature 24 Mega Balls instead of the 25 in the current game.
  • Larger starting jackpots – Following a jackpot win, the starting jackpot will reset to $50 million instead of the current variable amount, which has typically been $20 million.
  • Faster-growing jackpots and bigger jackpots more frequently – Jackpots are expected to grow faster and get to higher dollar amounts more frequently in the new game. Mega Millions estimates that the average jackpot win in the new game will be more than $800 million vs. approximately $450 million in the current game.
  • 2X-10X prize increase with built-in random multiplier – Every non-jackpot win will multiply its base prize by 2X, 3X, 4X, 5X or 10X automatically. Non-jackpot prizes in the new game will range from $10 to $10 million vs. the $2 to $1 million in the current game.
  • Win more than the cost to play – With a minimum prize of $10 on a winning ticket in the new game, every winning ticket will pay out at least double the $5 cost for each play. In the current game, the minimum prize on a winning ticket and cost to play are the same: $2.

With higher value prizes embedded throughout every tier of the game, tickets for the new Mega Millions game will increase to $5 per play. This is only the game’s second price adjustment since the first ticket was sold more than 20 years ago and the first change since the current game matrix was adopted in 2017.

As part of the new game introduction, the “Megaplier” add on feature that has been available for an additional $1 will be retired and replaced with the built-in multiplier.

Unless someone wins the jackpot on the April 4 drawing, the jackpot from the current game will roll into the new game and continue to grow with ticket sales from the new game. Players who have a winning ticket that was issued for a drawing prior to the game change will be paid based on the prize matrix in effect during the time of the drawing for their ticket, regardless of when the prize is claimed.

Since Mega Millions launched in 2002, it has produced seven winners of billion-dollar jackpots, all in different states. Since the last change in 2017 more than 1,200 players have become millionaires, an average of three millionaires per week.

The Mega Millions jackpot was last won in Michigan in January 2021 by an Oakland County lottery club. The club won a $1.05 billion Mega Millions jackpot. That jackpot was the largest ever won in Michigan.

Mega Millions is a national game with tickets sold in 45 states, Washington, D.C. and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Drawings are conducted at 11 p.m. Eastern Time on Tuesdays and Fridays in Atlanta, Georgia.

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25-Year-Old Macomb County Woman Wins $1 Million Playing the Michigan Lottery’s $1,000,000 Instant Jackpot Instant Game

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Listening to her intuition led to a Macomb County woman winning a $1 million prize playing the Michigan Lottery’s $1,000,000 Instant Jackpot instant game.

“I play Lottery every now and then, but something that day kept telling me to buy a ticket,” said Alexandra Wilk. “I stopped at 7-Eleven to pick up a couple things and I just felt like I needed to listen to that little voice I’d been hearing all day.

“I scratched the ticket off when I got back to my car. At first, I thought they had given me a prank ticket because what I was seeing – a $1 million winner – was so shocking. Once I settled down, I called my mom to tell her, and she broke down in tears.

“This money is life-changing for me and my daughter. My future just got so much brighter.”

“Hearing how winning a $1 million prize is going to impact Alexandra’s life is inspiring,” said Michigan Lottery Commissioner Suzanna Shkreli. “To win this prize at such a young age will have a positive impact on her future for many years to come. I wish her and her daughter nothing but the best!”

Wilks, 25, bought her winning ticket at the 7-Eleven, located at 16761 21 Mile Road in Macomb. She recently visited Lottery headquarters to claim the big prize. She chose to receive her prize as a one-time lump sum payment of about $694,000, rather than annuity payments for the full amount. With her winnings, she plans to buy a home, a new car, and save for her and her daughter’s future.

Players have won more than $4 million playing $1,000,000 Instant Jackpot, which launched earlier this month. Each $10 ticket offers players a chance to win prizes ranging from $10 up to $1 million. More than $50 million in prizes remain, including two $1 million top prizes, 44 $10,000 prizes, and 133 $2,000 prizes.

In 2023, Lottery players won nearly $1.8 billion playing instant games.

Lottery instant games may be purchased at retailers across the state.

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Tuscola County Educator Wins Excellence in Education Award from the Michigan Lottery

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Lottery Spokesman, Jake Harris, presents Taylor Dantinne with her Excellence in Education check.

Lottery Spokesman, Jake Harris, presents Taylor Dantinne with her Excellence in Education check.

A Tuscola County educator known for going above and beyond for her school and community has been honored with an Excellence in Education award from the Michigan Lottery.

The award winner, Taylor Dantinne, is a high school art teacher at Millington High School. The school is part of the Millington Community Schools.

The Michigan Lottery established the Excellence in Education awards in 2014 to recognize outstanding public-school educators across the state during the school year.

Winners of the weekly award receive a $2,000 cash prize. At the end of the school year, one of the weekly award winners will be selected to receive the Lottery’s Educator of the Year award and will receive a $10,000 cash prize.

Each winner also is featured in a news segment on the Lottery’s media partner stations: WXYZ-TV in Detroit, FOX 17 in Grand Rapids, FOX 47 in Lansing, WNEM-TV in Saginaw, and WWTV-TV in Traverse City. The news segment featuring Dantinne will air this evening.

“In today’s society, it is so important for children to have adults in their lives who create a safe space and foster an inclusive environment,” said Lottery Commissioner Suzanna Shkreli. “Taylor does this and more by sharing her free time with her students and community.”

Dantinne said her love of children attracted her to a career in education.

“I love my students and being involved in all of their school activities. Kids need to know that adults are there for them and so I make it my goal to show up for them every day in the classroom and beyond. My daughter was once asked what I do for a living, and she replied: ‘She goes to work and teaches her friends.’ I can’t think of a better way to describe what I do.”

Dantinne was nominated for the award by her superintendent.

“In addition to teaching art at Millington High School, Mrs. Dantinne goes above and beyond to volunteer at school and community events. She coordinates the Annual Macho Volleyball Tournament, a fundraiser that s local families in need. She also does a lot for our football and other sports programs, including deg posters and playoff t-shirts, creating yard signs, and organizing fundraisers. She also coordinates Adopt-A-Senior, an event where community select a senior each year and give them gifts. She also teaches Cardinal Pride, a class where students volunteer their time at school and in the community. We have a wonderful, positive school climate and much of the reason for this is the fact that Mrs. Dantinne puts in so much extra time to make things nice for the staff and students!”

Dantinne earned a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree from the University of Michigan Flint. She has been an educator for 16 years, all in her current position.

Excellence in Education award nominees are evaluated on the following criteria:

  • Excellence – Their work consistently helps students and/or their schools or school districts advance to higher levels of academic achievement.
  • Dedication – They consistently go above and beyond expectations to help students succeed.
  • Inspiration – Their work inspires others around them to exceed expectations either academically or professionally.
  • Leadership – They demonstrate clear leadership skills in their positions with their school or school districts.
  • Effectiveness – The nominee’s work has clear and positive results on the educational advancement of students within the school or school district.
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Shiawassee County Man Wins Record-Breaking $2.39 Million Jackpot Slots Millionaire Fast Cash Progressive Jackpot

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Winning TicketA Shiawassee County man turned 6-6-6 into a record-breaking $2.39 million Fast Cash prize playing the Michigan Lottery’s Jackpot Slots Millionaire game.

“I played 6-6-6 on a couple of Daily 3 tickets and won big,” said the lucky player, who chose to remain anonymous. “I decided to take $100 of my winnings and buy some Fast Cash tickets because the jackpot was so huge.

“As soon as the clerk handed me the tickets, I ran my eyes over them to see if I had won anything. I was absolutely shocked to see that I had hit the jackpot for $2.39 million! We started celebrating in the store and then I got to make the best phone call I’ve ever made to my family and friends to tell them the news! Everyone has been so happy for me and my wife!”

“Winning a $500 prize for matching the Daily 3 is great but turning that into a record-setting $2.39 million Fast Cash progressive jackpot win is incredible,” said Lottery Commissioner Suzanna Shkreli. “Fast Cash games are great for players because they feature exciting prizes and great for retailers because the progressive jackpot attracts players as it grows and grows.”

The lucky player bought his winning ticket at King’s Corner Market of Owosso, located at 701 North Washington Street in Owosso. The big prize set a record for the largest prize ever won on the Fast Cash games. The previous record was set in November 2019, when Rodney Stokoszynski, of Wayne County won a $1.84 million Fast Cash progressive.

The player recently visited Lottery headquarters to claim his prize. With his winnings, he plans to pay bills and then invest the remainder.

Fast Cash games are a series of instant-win games that print from terminals at Lottery retailers. Fast Cash tickets range in price from $2 per play up to $30 per play.

Fast Cash games offer a progressive jackpot that can be won instantly. Every Fast Cash ticket gives players a chance to win all or part of the progressive jackpot.

All of the Fast Cash games feed into one jackpot, which grows with every ticket purchased. The current jackpot amount prints on each ticket, so players always know the amount of the jackpot up for grabs. The jackpot may be won at any time. As soon as the jackpot is hit, a new one starts to grow.

Available Fast Cash games are:

  • Wild Time Progressive – Each $2 ticket offers players a chance to win prizes ranging from $2 up to $500 and 20 percent of the Fast Cash progressive jackpot.
  • Lucky Clover – Each $5 ticket offers players a chance to win prizes ranging from $5 up to $3,500 and 50 percent of the Fast Cash progressive jackpot.
  • Diamond Wild Time Progressive – Each $5 ticket offers players a chance to win prizes ranging from $5 up to $3,000 and 50 percent of the Fast Cash progressive jackpot.
  • Double Win Wild Time Progressive – Each $10 ticket offers players a chance to win prizes ranging from $10 up to $6,000 and 100 percent of the Fast Cash progressive jackpot.
  • Jackpot Slots – Each $10 ticket offers players a chance to win prizes ranging from $10 up to $5,000 and 100 percent of the Fast Cash progressive jackpot.
  • Lucky 7s – Each $10 ticket offers players a chance to win prizes ranging from $10 up to $4,000 and 100 percent of the Fast Cash progressive jackpot.
  • Super Lucky 7s – Each $20 ticket offers players a chance to win prizes ranging from $20 up to $9,000 and 100 percent of the Fast Cash progressive jackpot, plus $250,000.
  • Jumbo Jackpot Slots – Each $20 ticket offers players a chance to win prizes ranging from $20 up to $10,000 and 100 percent of the Fast Cash progressive jackpot plus $250,000.
  • Extreme Green – Each $20 ticket offers players a chance to win prizes ranging from $20 up to $11,000 and 100 percent of the Fast Cash progressive jackpot plus $250,000.
  • 5 Win Lucky Clover – Each $20 ticket offers players a chance to win prizes ranging from $20 up to $10,000 and 100 percent of the Fast Cash progressive jackpot plus $250,000.
  • Jackpot Slots Millionaire – Each $30 ticket offers players a chance to win prizes ranging from $30 up to 100% of the Fast Cash jackpot plus $1 million.

Fast Cash prizes never sell out and there is no waiting for a drawing as all games are played immediately.

Fast Cash games may be purchased at retailers across the state.

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Cass County Man Wins $1 Million Powerball Prize from the Michigan Lottery

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Winning TicketA Cass County man sprang out of bed when he learned the store where he bought his Powerball ticket had sold a $1 million winner!

“I woke up the morning after the drawing, and checked the alerts on my phone,” said Robert Cusumano, 65. “Right there on the screen, was an alert that a $1 million Powerball prize had been won on a ticket bought at Big T.

“As soon as I saw that, I jumped out of bed and went hunting for my ticket. I looked it over slowly and there were all five numbers right in front of me. It was incredible!”

“Waking up to a $1 million prize would be a dream come true, and a life changing moment,” said Lottery Commissioner Suzanna Shkreli. “Congratulations to Robert and his family!”

Cusumano matched the five white balls in the March 1 drawing to win the big prize: 02-23-36-44-49. He bought his winning ticket at Big T, located at 155 Main Street in Lawton. Lawton is about 20 miles southwest of Kalamazoo.

“I play pretty regularly and buy tickets wherever I happen to be,” said Cusumano. “This is the most I have ever won, and I am going to use it to invest in my future.”

Powerball plays may be purchased for $2 each at Lottery retailers across the state and online at Michiganmilotteryconnect.casinowinning.net. A “Power Play” option that multiplies non-jackpot prizes by up to 10 times to a maximum of $2 million may be added to any Powerball play for only $1. For an additional $1 per play, Double Play may be added to a Powerball ticket, giving players a second chance to win up to $10 million in the nightly Double Play drawing.

The Powerball drawing takes place at 10:59 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday and may be watched live online at: http://milotteryconnect.casinowinning.net. Powerball tickets are sold in 45 states, Washington D.C., U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico.

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