The Big Game to Mega Millions
Mega Millions began in 1996 as "The Big Game," a multi-state lottery initially offered in six states. It was rebranded as Mega Millions in 2002 and expanded through a cross-selling agreement with Powerball in 2010 that made both games available in nearly every lottery state. The 5/70 + 1/25 format introduced in October 2017 pushed jackpot odds to about 1 in 302.6 million; an April 2025 change then trimmed the Mega Ball pool to 1-24 (and moved to a $5 ticket with a built-in multiplier), easing the odds to approximately 1 in 290.5 million — still among the longest of any U.S. lottery game.
Record-Setting Jackpots
The largest Mega Millions jackpot hit $1.537 billion in October 2018, won by a single ticket in South Carolina. The winner remained anonymous (South Carolina is one of several states that allow it) and chose the lump sum cash option. Other notable jackpots include $1.348 billion (January 2023, Maine) and $1.128 billion (March 2024). Each of these mega-prizes followed extended rollover runs of 25 or more drawings.
The Record Book tracks these milestones in real time, and the Jackpot History chart lets you compare Mega Millions and Powerball growth side by side.
Format Changes and Their Impact
Each matrix change has made the top prize harder to win. In the original Big Game format, jackpot odds were about 1 in 76 million. By 2005, they were 1 in 176 million. The 2017 change to 5/70 + 1/25 nearly doubled the difficulty again. Harder odds produce longer rollover sequences, which produce larger jackpots, which drive more ticket sales — a feedback loop that lottery commissions have deliberately engineered.
From 2010 to early 2025, an optional Megaplier add-on multiplied non-jackpot prizes for an extra $1 per play. Since the April 2025 change, a multiplier of 2x to 10x is instead built into every $5 ticket. Either way, it does not affect the jackpot. For the math behind prize tiers and odds, see our Odds Calculator guide. To estimate your actual take-home on a big win, try the Payout Calculator.
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