Huge jackpots aren’t luck. Here’s why $1B+ lottery prizes are the new normal

By Irene Rotondo | IRotondo@masslive.comLottery jackpots have been soaring to new heights, with a Mega Millions drawing for $1.22 billion scheduled for Friday night in what could be the ninth-largest jackpot in the world.So, what’s driving these record-breaking prizes?It’s not just luck, according to the Massachusetts State Lottery. Rules were changed for both the Mega Millions and Powerball games in 2017 and 2015 — and more changes are on the way in April 2025 for Mega Millions.“One of the reasons [for those changes] was to get larger jackpots, to drive up higher jackpots and generate additional interest in the games,” Christian Teja, former Director of Communications for Massachusetts State Lottery and current Chief iLottery Officer, told MassLive.Both multi-state drawing games had previously adjusted their “numbers matrix,” or the field of numbers a player selects for their lottery ticket, to make the odds of winning a jackpot “longer” in each game, the Massachusetts State Lottery told MassLive.For Mega Millions, this was first implemented in Oct. 2017. The numbers matrix for the first five numbers players currently select is 1-70, and 1-25 for their Mega Ball number. However, prior to that, Mega Millions players used to select 1-75 for their first five numbers and 1-25 for their Mega Ball number.In Oct. 2015, Powerball made similar changes. Players now select their first five numbers 1-69, and one Powerball number from 1-26. Before, players had to select their first five numbers from 1-59 and their Powerball number from 1-35.But more changes, including to the numbers matrix, are on the way for Mega Millions. Mega Millions jackpot rises to $1.22B ahead of Friday night drawingMega Millions drawing time: How to watch $1.22B jackpot drawing FridayMass. State Lottery winner: $1 million prize claimed from $10 ticket2 Western Mass. stores top the list of luckiest lottery locations in 2024“We are creating a game that both our existing players and people new to Mega Millions will love and get excited about playing,” said Joshua Johnston, Lead Director of the Mega Millions Consortium, when adjustments were announced in October.“We expect more billion-dollar jackpots than ever before, meaning creating more billionaires and many more millionaires as the jackpots climb, plus this game will continue the important legacy of supporting great causes everywhere Mega Millions is played,” Johnston said.Starting in April 2025, players will select their Mega Ball from numbers between 1-24. Tickets will also cost $5 and there will be more “multipliers” available in the game, a feature that allows players to pay another $1 to increase a prize if won. Taking away one of the Mega Balls from the pool will increase a player’s odds of winning, according to Massachusetts State Lottery Director Mark William Bracken.So far, these adjustments have worked. Records from the Massachusetts State Lottery and the Multi-State Lottery Association show jackpot prizes have been on the increase and have taken longer for players to win, therefore generating more income for the lottery and interest from players for larger pots.Only two of the largest jackpots in history were won prior to the last two years. Here is the complete list of the largest lottery wins in the history of all games:$2.04 billion Powerball prize won on a single California ticket on Nov. 7, 2022$1.765 billion Powerball prize won on a single California ticket on Oct. 11, 2023$1.602 billion Mega Millions prize won on a single Florida ticket on Aug. 8, 2023$1.586 billion Powerball prize won across three tickets in California, Florida and Tennessee on Jan. 13, 2016$1.537 billion Mega Millions prize won on a single South Carolina ticket on Oct. 23, 2018$1.348 billion Mega Millions prize won on a single Maine ticket on Jan. 13, 2023$1.337 billion Mega Millions prize won on a single Illinois ticket on July 29, 2022$1.326 billion Powerball prize won on a single Oregon ticket on April 7, 2024$1.13 billion Mega Millions prize won on a single New Jersey ticket on March 26, 2024$1.08 billion Powerball prize won on a single California ticket on July 19, 2023If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.