Summary
- A Mega Millions player from New Jersey wins $4 million.
- The modification of the game's rules boosted the prize from the usual $1 million to a life-changing $4 million.
- Lottery players can enjoy improved odds, larger payouts, and a higher starting jackpot amount.
This spring, Mega Millions revised its rules to enhance the game format, providing better odds and larger prizes. During the latest drawing on Friday, a fortunate player from Bergen County, New Jersey, won a life-changing prize of $4 million. Under the previous rules, this player would have received only $1 million, but due to the recent changes, the payout increased to $4 million.
The new rules of the popular game increased the lucky player's payout to $4m
The winning Mega Millions numbers on Friday were 26, 49, 58, 61, and 63, with the Mega Ball number being 09. A fortunate player who purchased their ticket at the 7-Eleven on 1 Kinderkamack Road in Montvale correctly matched all five white balls, earning a second-tier prize. Typically, the base prize for matching five numbers is $1 million. However, with the new rules, the player was automatically entered into a multiplier game. As a result, the player achieved a 4X multiplier on Friday, increasing their prize to $4 million. Previously, Mega Millions players had to pay extra to participate in the multiplier option, which allowed them to benefit from a random multiplier in each drawing. If the player had also matched the Mega Ball on Friday, they would have claimed the game's top prize, which was over $300 million. Nevertheless, the $4 million win is undeniably life-changing and is the biggest Mega Millions prize won in New Jersey since the game's rules were revised in April.
Mega Millions' overhaul brings more prizes and better odds
Since the Mega Millions format changed in April, the amount of non-jackpot prizes won by players has increased more than fourfold. From April to June, players won over $112 million in non-jackpot prizes under the new rules. Previously, these non-jackpot prizes would have amounted to only $25 million under the old rules. In addition to larger non-jackpot prizes, Mega Millions improved the odds of winning any prize and the jackpot by removing one gold Mega Ball. The odds of winning any prize have improved from 1 in 24 to 1 in 23 since April. Moreover, the odds of winning the jackpot have also improved. Under the previous rules, the odds were 1 in 302.5 million, but since the changes in April, they have improved to 1 in 290.4 million. Alongside better odds and higher non-jackpot prizes, Mega Millions has increased the starting amount for its jackpot. Previously, the jackpot began at $20 million, but under the new rules, it now starts at $50 million.
