What is the Mega Millions Megaplier and How Does it Work?
Mega Millions Megaplier increases the value of any non-jackpot prizes by 2x, 3x, 4x, or 5x. This supplementary feature is offered in most states and it costs an additional $1. You must opt in when you play your numbers for the main game, you cannot add it to your ticket at a later date. The Megaplier is drawn before the drawings on Tuesday and Friday nights and is taken from a pool of 15 balls.
How Does Mega Millions Megaplier Work?
First of all, select your main Mega Millions lines or use a Quick Pick to let the computer generate them for you. To add the Megaplier option, simply mark the box on your playslip that says ‘Yes’ next to ‘Megaplier’. You can then sit back, relax and wait for the winning numbers to be announced after the drawing.
Of the 15 Megaplier balls, there are five worth 2x, six worth 3x, three bearing a 4x multiplier and one 5x ball. Whichever one comes out on the night dictates the number by which all Megaplier players’ prizes are multiplied for that drawing.
Megaplier prizes range from $4 when you match just the Mega Ball on a 2x Megaplier, up to $5 million for matching five main numbers with a 5x Megaplier. The equivalent non-Megaplier prize values would be $2 and £1 million, respectively.
You can view a breakdown of the Megaplier prizes offered as well as the odds of each Megaplier number being drawn on the Mega Millions prizes page. Players are eligible to win Megaplier prizes in all participating states, except for California.
Match 5 Megaplier Prizes
There have been a total of 28 $5 million prizes awarded since October 2013 and Mega Millions is the only jackpot game where the supplementary option offers $5 million for a multiplied Match 5 prize. The maximum payout offered by Powerball’s Match 5 tier is $2 million, no matter which Power Play number is drawn. The non-Power Play Prize is $1 million.
It is possible to apply the 5x All Star Bonus multiplier to the Match 5 tier in Lotto America but, as that is a smaller-scale lottery, the regular award is $20,000 and the top possible multiplier prize is $100,000.
Megaplier Winners
Gladys Salzwedel, a 68-year-old from Oakley, Michigan, bought a Mega Millions ticket with the Megaplier option for the drawing on October 27th. She matched the five main numbers 17, 27, 41, 51, and 52, just missing out on the Mega Ball, which was 13. The Megaplier in the drawing was 5x, meaning Gladys became $5 million richer.
On finding out about the win, Gladys commented, “It’s such a blessing to win and be able to retire without having to worry.” She bought the winning ticket at an Admiral gas station on Brady Rd in Chesaning. You can read more about the $5 million Mega Millions win by visiting the news page.
On August 22nd, two ticket holders from Arkansas matched four main numbers plus the Mega Ball with the 4x Megaplier, winning $20,000 each. If they had not opted for the Megaplier, the players would have won a prize worth $5,000.
In the same drawing, there was also one Match 4 winner with Megaplier who is now $2,000 richer, compared with the regular Match 4 prize of $500. Since this drawing, the prize payout for the Match 4 Numbers and Mega Ball has increased to $10,000. Read more about the recent changes to prize payouts on the Mega Millions Changes page.