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Mega Millions players in Texas could be paying double next year for the game’s tickets thanks to a new proposal from the state’s lottery commission.
Several changes to Mega Millions proposed
While the ticket prices are part of the proposed changes, the Texas Lottery Commission has also proposed several other changes to the Mega Millions draw game, a multi-state lottery with a jackpot that often has jackpots worth hundreds of millions of dollars.
For the ticket price increase, the agency’s commissioners are looking to increase the price of a ticket from $2 to $5 in 2025.
In addition, these proposed changes would eliminate the $1 Multiplier option. Instead, the multiplier would be built right into the cost of the $5 ticket. With the Multiplier option, players can multiply their non-jackpot prizes by 2, 3, 4, 5, or 10 times, according to the proposal.
The changes also include changing the number of Mega Balls to choose from. Currently, Mega Millions has players choose a Mega Ball from 1 through 25. However, these changes in Texas would make players choose a Mega Ball from 1 through 24.
Timeline for these changes
For these rule changes to take effect, they can be adopted by the agency’s commissioners in the coming months without voter or legislative approval. However, they must first clear several hurdles, which include a public comment period and publication in the state register.
According to a timeline mentioned in the proposal, these new Mega Millions changes should be implemented on April 5, 2025. That would make the first drawing with these new changes taking place on April 8, 2025.
On August 7, the draft proposal for these changes was approved at the Commission’s meeting. Then on August 23, the changes were published in the Texas Register.
The draft proposal is currently in the one-month public comment period, which will end on September 23.
If you are in Texas and would like to submit a public comment on these proposed changes, you can submit your comment by faxing it to (512) 344-5189, Attn: General Counsel - Rulemaking. You can also mail your comment to General Counsel - Rulemaking, Texas Lottery Commission, P.O. Box 16630, Austin, TX 78761-6630.
Mega Millions and Texas
To look at Mega Millions in the state of Texas, the draw game generated over $440 million in sales for the state in 2023. Since January, Mega Millions has sold over $246 million worth of tickets.
The state has also seen an increase of 22.8% in the first week of September, which can be linked to the $800 million jackpot that was up for grabs. And those ticket sales paid off, as it was a ticket sold in Sugarland, Texas, that won the $800 million jackpot.
For Texas, the revenue from the lottery goes to the Foundation School Program after prizes, payments, and expenses are paid out. This happens to be the main funding for public education in the state, Dick Lavine, a senior fiscal analyst at Every Texan in Austin, told KSAT.
“If lottery revenue were to go up, the only effect would be less need for general revenue to fund the school finance formulas. No change in per student funding,” Lavine said.
In a statement to KSAT. Mega Millions said, “We are always looking for fun and exciting opportunities for our players. Recent discussions have occurred within the Mega Millions consortium about ways to enhance the Mega Millions game in 2025. We will keep you updated with additional information when appropriate.”
While Texas is proposing these changes for the state, it is not clear how these changes would impact other states.
Enjoy playing the Texas Lottery, and please remember to play responsibly.
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