Playing Mega Millions in Arizona to get more expensive
May 2, 2017, 12:50 PM
Chase Hardy buys lottery tickets at a 7-Eleven store, Friday, July 8, 2016, in Newark, N.J. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
(AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
PHOENIX — If you’re dreaming of winning the Mega Millions in Arizona, be prepared to pay up: Your dream is about to get twice as expensive.
Mega Millions tickets are just $1 right now, but come Oct. 28, those looking to make it rich through the lottery will have to shell out a whole $2 for one ticket.
But officials with the Arizona Lottery say this is for your own good.
Nikki O’Shea, a spokeswoman for the Arizona Lottery, said the price hike will allow the company to double the starting jackpot, from $15 million to $40 million.
“It generates a lot of excitement amongst our players, having a higher starting jackpot,” O’Shea said. “We’ll likely increase lottery revenues, which actually gives back to a lot of important state beneficiaries that serve Arizona.”
The change will affect all the states that participate in the Mega Millions game. The multi-state game started 21 years ago, but Arizona joined in about seven years ago.
The largest jackpot in Mega Millions history came in 2012 with a cash value of $474,000,000. Three winners from three states split the winning jackpot.
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