Now that we’re a little ways out from last month’s hub-bub when the jackpots were sky-high in Powerball® and Mega Millions®, I’m circling back to a question we got at the time from folks who said they just don’t understand the Power Play® and Megaplier® options or what they mean.
The Power Play and Megaplier both cost an extra $1 per play. They’re called multipliers because they multiply any prize you win except the jackpot.
For the Power Play or Megaplier to kick in, you first have to win a prize in a drawing. If you win a prize and you've added the multiplier option to your ticket, in most instances, your prize will be multiplied by that number. (Remember that the jackpot amount is not multiplied in either game, and in Powerball, the $1 million Match 5 prize goes to $2 million with the Power Play added.)
Here are a couple examples to help with the explanation:
1.) You added the Power Play option to your Powerball ticket but you didn't win a prize. In that case, nothing more happens – you didn't win anything, so there’s no prize for the Power Play to multiply.
2.) You win a $500 Mega Millions prize by matching four of the five white balls in that night’s drawing. You added the Megaplier option to your ticket and the Megaplier number that night is 4. Your initial $500 prize will be multiplied by 4, so you’ll ultimately win a $2,000 prize because you added the Megaplier option!
If you’re more a visual learner, we also cover this topic in our "How To Play" videos. Click here for a link to the main page for the videos.
And not to be left out, there also is a multiplier option in the Lotto America® game. It’s called the All Star Bonus® and also costs an extra $1 per play.
Good luck with your tickets and we hope to see you claim a big prize soon!
Hi, Riley. I don't know what you're referencing through your comment. The Powerball has never been removed from the Powerball game. Drawings in the game have always involved five numbers selected from a pool of numbers and another number -- known as the Powerball -- selected from a separate pool of numbers.
Posted by: Mary Neubauer | February 16, 2021 at 08:16 AM
except for when the lottery scammed us all for about a year and a half by removing the "powerball" there was no powerball and you could pay an extra dollar for straight up five balls and no powerball
Posted by: riley | February 16, 2021 at 05:30 AM
Hi, Mark. You are correct, that is one of the differences between the games. Conversely, the prize for matching four of the first five numbers and the Powerball is $50,000 while there is a $10,000 prize for matching four of the first five numbers and the Mega Ball. Differences along the way, but hopefully that helps keep things interesting.
Posted by: Mary Neubauer | February 15, 2021 at 04:13 PM
WHAT I DONT LIKE ABOUT THE POWERPLAY IS THAT U CAN ONLY WIN UP TO $2 MILLION WITH THE POWERPLAY WHERE IF HAVE THE MEGAPLIER U CAN WIN UP TO $5 MILLION
Posted by: MARK CAMERON | February 15, 2021 at 08:39 AM
Thank you for playing, Alicia, and for understanding the multiplier option! I'm always trying to think of new ways to explain it, but you are ahead of the curve. :)
Posted by: Mary Neubauer | February 15, 2021 at 08:23 AM