The following is a news release from the Texas Lottery Commission: 

Beginning Oct. 28, tickets will go on sale for a redesigned Mega Millions® game with larger starting jackpots, faster rolls, and better chances at winning the second-tier $1 million prize.

“Through their purchases, lottery players have told us that they want bigger jackpots and better odds at winning $1 million second-tier prizes,” said Gary Grief, executive director of the Texas Lottery. “This redesign will keep the game fresh and entertaining for players and position us to continue to generate revenue for Texas education.”

Starting jackpots for the multi-state game will more than double from the current $15 million to $40 million and the ticket price will increase from $1 to $2 per play. The new game will also feature a new optional $3 wager, Just the Jackpot™, which will allow players to receive two chances to win the game’s grand prize. Just the Jackpot prize wagers are eligible to win the Mega Millions grand prize only and are not eligible to win at other prize levels.

In the redesigned game, players will select five numbers from one to 70, and one Mega Ball number from one to 25. Players will have a one in 24 overall chance of winning a prize.

Mega Millions is one of the world’s biggest and most recognizable lottery game. Introduced as The Big Game in August 1996 with six member states, the game grew, becoming Mega Millions in May 2002. Texas joined the Mega Millions game in 2003 and has had 12 jackpot winners. In 2017, Texas has had seven second-tier winners of $1 million or more. 

Mega Millions currently is played in 46 jurisdictions: 44 states plus the District of Columbia
and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The largest Mega Millions jackpot was a $656 million prize split
by three winners in Kansas, Illinois and Maryland in 2012.

Mega Millions drawings are held Tuesdays and Fridays at 10 p.m. Central Time.

About the Texas Lottery
Beginning with the first ticket sold in 1992, the Texas Lottery has generated $26 billion in revenue for the state and distributed $53 billion in prizes to lottery players. Since 1997, the Texas Lottery has contributed $21 billion to the Foundation School Fund, which supports public education in Texas. As authorized by the Texas Legislature, certain Texas Lottery revenues benefit state programs including the Fund for Veterans’ Assistance. Since the first veterans’ themed scratch ticket game was launched in 2009, the Texas Lottery has contributed more than $80 million for programs supporting Texas veterans. The Texas Lottery provides several entertaining games for lottery players including Powerball®, Mega Millions®, Lotto Texas®, All or Nothing™, Texas Two Step®, Pick 3™, Daily 4™, Cash Five®, Texas Triple Chance™ and scratch ticket games. For more information visit us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube or at www.txlottery.org.

(News release from the Texas Lottery Commission)