Florida Mega Millions Players See Bigger Wins, Education Receives $3 Million Boost After Game Update

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Florida Mega Millions Players See Bigger Wins, Education Receives $3 Million Boost After Game Update

Mega Millions (Source: TFP File Photo)
Mega Millions (Source: TFP File Photo)

Florida Mega Millions® players are experiencing a wave of increased winnings following the recent update to the game’s prize structure, which went into effect on April 5, 2025.

The addition of a 2x to 10x non-jackpot prize multiplier has resulted in significantly larger payouts for non-jackpot winners in Florida and nationwide, compared to the previous game format.

In the first four drawings under the new rules, which began on April 8, Florida players have already seen a substantial increase in winning moments and prize values, even without hitting the coveted jackpot.

READ: Florida Man Scores Big: Wins $1 Million On Lottery Scratch-Off From A Quick Mart

To date, the updated prize matrix has generated over 77,000 winners in the Sunshine State, with more than $1.5 million in non-jackpot prizes awarded.

Beyond the excitement for individual players, the revamped Mega Millions® game is also making a significant contribution to education in Florida. Over $3 million has been generated for the state’s educational programs since the new structure was implemented, highlighting the lottery’s dual benefit to both players and the wider community.

The impact of the new multiplier feature was particularly evident in the April 8 drawing. Nationwide, a staggering $4.3 million in non-jackpot prizes was awarded, a dramatic increase compared to the $840,628 that would have been won under the old matrix for the same number of winners. This surge in prize value is a direct result of the game’s built-in multiplier, which automatically boosts non-jackpot winnings by 2X, 3X, 4X, 5X, or even 10X.

READ: 500X The Thrill! Florida Woman Scratches Her Way To $1 Million Lottery Win

A breakdown of the results from the inaugural drawing under the new prize structure illustrates the significant difference:

MatchWinnersNew Game Prize TotalOld Game Prize Total
5 white balls0$0$0
4 white + Mega Ball5$100,000$50,000
4 white balls125$195,000$62,500
3 white + Mega Ball295$187,600$59,000
3 white balls7,631$227,530$76,310
2 white + Mega Ball7,135$214,840$71,350
1 white + Mega Ball58,021$1,221,059$232,084
Mega Ball144,692$2,176,570$289,384
TOTAL217,904$4,322,599$840,628

New game prize totals are calculated based on the number of winners at each prize level and each multiplier value (2X, 3X, 4X, 5X, and 10X), combined with the prize value of each of those subsets.

Old game prize totals are calculated based on the number of winners at each prize level and the base prize payout under the old matrix.

The updated Mega Millions® game offers players bigger prizes at every non-jackpot tier, improved odds of winning the jackpot, better overall odds, a larger starting jackpot, and faster-growing jackpots. Notably, the new structure eliminates break-even prizes, and the prize range has increased from $10 to $10 million, compared to the previous $2 to $1 million. The full prize matrix is available online.

READ: Ruskin Man Hits Jackpot: Claims $2 Million Prize On Florida Lottery CASHWORD Scratch-Off

To accommodate higher-value prizes across all tiers, the price of a Mega Millions ticket is now $5 per play. This marks the second price adjustment since the game was first sold in Florida over 11 years ago.

Since the last game change in 2017, Mega Millions® has produced seven winners of billion-dollar jackpots across different states and has created more than 1,200 millionaires nationwide, averaging three new millionaires each week.

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