News writer
Over the last decade, lottery jackpots have grown into history-making territory. Powerball's record-setting $2.04 billion prize in 2022 and Mega Millions $1.6 billion jackpot from 2023 still dominate conversations about this modern-day lottery boom. In fact, 12 of the 20 biggest jackpots in U.S. history have been won since 2023. However, there is a lottery trend that often goes unnoticed, and that's the rise in non-jackpot wins also.
The big jackpots get the headlines
We all know that the majority of people talk about these big jackpots. I mean, when the Powerball hits $1 billion, who doesn't want to talk about it?
While the mega-prizes often steal the spotlight, there is an overlooked trend that has been unfolding quietly underneath. Non-jackpot prizes are growing faster than ever, and every day, players are becoming the unexpected winners of recent game redesigns.
Yes, the biggest lottery shift of the decade isn't just these jaw-dropping jackpots. It's also what's happening in the prize tiers below them.
Powerball redesigned its game and boosted smaller wins
In 2015, Powerball had a game redesign, and many people focused on the fact that the jackpot was now harder to win.
Powerball officials expanded the number of white balls from 59 to 69. This changed the odds of winning the jackpot from 1 in 175.2 million to 1 in 292.2 million.
However, they also decreased the number of red balls from 35 to 26. These changes actually improved the overall odds of winning any prize from 1 in 31.85 to 1 in 24.9.
This means that, yes, jackpots are harder to come by, but smaller wins became more common.
Because of these changes, it did help lay the groundwork for the increase in billion-dollar jackpots. However, it also quietly funneled more prize money to players who match only a few numbers.
Mega Millions redesign
Mega Millions took that idea from Powerball, but supercharged it. In April 2025, Mega Millions had one of the most significant lottery overhauls in recent memory.
While ticket prices increased from $2 to $5 per play, we also saw the starting jackpot increase from $20 million to $50 million. Then we saw the introduction of a built-in multiplier for every ticket, which increases every non-jackpot prize.
The result? A staggering 343% explosion in non-jackpot prize payouts.
Dan Miller, a spokesperson for Mega Millions, told CBS News there have been 70 drawings since this new version launched, as of December 5, 2025. During those 70 drawings, Mega Millions players have collected $531 million in these boosted lower-tier prizes.
If we were to stick with the old format, those same wins would have totaled just $119.8 million, so a 343% increase. Even if a player matched just the Mega Ball, it guarantees a minimum prize of $5. With the multiplier, it would turn it into $10, $15, $20, $25, or $50.
This was a deliberate move. They wanted to draw in more players who might not be playing every drawing.
Joshua Johnston, Lead Director of the Mega Millions Consortium, told Lottery USA:
Yes, it was a deliberate strategy. In research performed before the decision was made to change the game, the embedded multiplier was very appealing to casual players.
The odds of winning the jackpot improved, too, with one fewer Mega Ball in play (24 instead of 25). The odds of winning the jackpot went from 1 in 302.6 million to 1 in 290.5 million.
The hidden winners of modern lottery design
Jackpots are soaring, and smaller prizes are multiplying. Today's lottery games are designed to create two simultaneous spectacles:
- Huge, headline-grabbing jackpots that will keep players engaged.
- A big wave of boosted non-jackpot wins that reward more people, more often.
The bigger story that people aren't noticing: while jackpots generate buzz, millions more dollars have been flowing into lower-tier prizes. That shift is reshaping what it means to win.
If this trend continues, the biggest lottery story of the decade might not be the billion-dollar jackpot, but rather the quiet rise of the everyday winner.
Enjoy playing the lottery, and please remember to play responsibly.
Comments