West Virginia(CNN)- Mega million tickets will cost more than double next month.
Beginning in April, a ticket will increase to $5 from $2.
Lottery officials announced Monday that the price will spark a “new and improved game” with improved odds of winning and bigger prizes.
It’s the second time the Mega Millions has ever upped the cost, with the first in 2017.
Since those changes, the jackpot has reached the billion-dollar mark six times, most recently in 2023, when a record-breaking $1.6 billion ticket was won in Florida.
Of the lottery’s top 10 biggest-ever jackpots, three occurred this year.
Mega Millions said the increased ticket price will result in larger starting and faster-growing jackpots.
There will also be no breakeven prizes, meaning every winning ticket will cost more than the cost of a $5 ticket.
Lottery officials will release additional game updates in the coming months.
