Mega Millions players will get slightly better odds and should start seeing more billion-dollar jackpots, but at a cost — literally — with tickets for the multistate lottery more than doubling in price from $2 to $5.

Remember this moment because it probably won’t last: A U.S. lottery jackpot has soared above $1 billion, and that’s still a big deal.

Americans still dreaming of a really big Christmas present can keep that dream alive during Friday’s Mega Millions drawing for a jackpot worth an estimated $1.15 billion.

The cost of a Mega Millions lottery ticket will soon more than double, but officials said they’re confident players won’t mind paying more after changes that will lead to larger prizes and more frequent winners.

An immigrant from Laos who has been battling cancer won an enormous $1.3 billion Powerball jackpot in Oregon earlier this month.

Someone in Oregon has claimed the $1.3 billion Powerball jackpot won last weekend, which is the eighth-largest lottery prize in U.S. history.

The Powerball lottery drawing has been delayed to complete procedures required before the numbers are announced.

Powerball is about to match a record for lottery drawings with a stretch of more than three months without a jackpot winner.

The Powerball jackpot has increased to an estimated $865 million after yet another drawing without a big winner, continuing a winless streak that dates to New Year’s Day.

The stars have aligned in the lottery universe like never before, with two jackpots totaling nearly $2 billion.

The winning numbers for a nearly $1 billion Mega Millions lottery prize will offer sudden riches to any lucky player who matches them and almost certain disappointment for everyone else.

Is it us, or are you noticing a lot of lottery winners in the Houston area?

A lucky Powerball winner who bought a ticket from a store on Houston’s southwest side won’t be so lucky if they don’t hurry up and claim their ticket!

Somebody in Tomball woke up $2 million richer Sunday.

The odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 292.2 million.

The Powerball Jackpot continues to grow to more than $700 million and there is one lucky person who bought a ticket in Katy.

Powerball perfection is what many were seeking at Rudy’s in Rosenberg on Christmas Day.

The Powerball Jackpot continues to climb! After no one won Monday’s jackpot, the grand prize has grown to an estimated $1.72 billion.

Another Powerball drawing, another chance at a jackpot that is inching toward a billion dollars.

The Powerball jackpot climbed to an estimated $835 million after no one beat the immense odds and won the giant prize.

A Wharton resident is a lucky winner after claiming a Powerball® prize worth $2,000,008 for the drawing on Aug. 30.

There is no mystery why the Mega Millions jackpot has grown to $1.55 billion, making it the third-largest ever.

The Mega Millions lottery jackspot is approaching $1 billion ahead of Friday’s drawing.

Your chances of winning the lottery are extremely slim — even as more and more eye top prizes soaring to jaw-dropping heights.

The new jackpot for Wednesday’s drawing would be the seventh highest in U.S. history and the third largest for Powerball.

Someone woke up $2 million richer Tuesday morning after purchasing a winning Powerball ticket in Spring.

The new jackpot for Wednesday’s drawing would be the seventh highest in U.S. history and the third largest for Powerball.

Meteoroloigst Anthony Yanez has a unique way of looking at this

Two Texans each won $1 million on Saturday through the Powerball lottery game, and one of these people bought their ticket in Katy, Texas.

Convenience stores are swamped as the Powerball and Mega Millions jackpots soar to some of their largest in the history of the games.

Winning the lottery is actually a curse? It has been the case for many winners.

So, are you feeling lucky?

A $615 million Powerball jackpot will be up for grabs Saturday night for those willing to risk $2 against the odds of winning the big prize.

A $615 million Powerball jackpot will be up for grabs Saturday night for those willing to risk $2 against the odds of winning the big prize.

A Houston resident has claimed a large Texas Lottery prize.

A Houston resident is $2 million richer thanks to a lucky ticket claimed recently, the Texas Lottery announced Thursday.

Someone in the Houston area is waking up $2 million richer this Tuesday!

The Powerball jackpot grew to an estimated $747 million after no one beat the odds and won the top prize in Saturday night’s drawing.

Another giant lottery prize is up for grabs.

This Saturday, Houstonians have a chance to win not just one, but TWO jackpot prizes.

Thinking of lining up at the mini-mart for a shot at a $1.35 billion Mega Millions jackpot.

An estimated $1.1 billion Mega Millions jackpot drawing has people lined up at convenience stores across the country to buy tickets.

Call it the Golden Age of lottery jackpots.

Someone who bought a Powerball ticket in Southern California has won a record $2.04 billion Powerball jackpot.

The estimated $1.9 billion Powerball jackpot is nearly $400 million larger than the previous record jackpot and will keep growing until someone finally wins the prize.

The Powerball jackpot has reached an estimated record high of $1.6 billion, leading longtime players and first-timers alike to flock to buy tickets ahead of Saturday night’s drawing.

Strong sales boosted a Powerball jackpot to an estimated $1.6 billion, making it the largest lottery prize in history.

The largest lottery prize in U.S. history has people across the country clamoring for a chance to win a mega jackpot.

Lottery players hoping to win this week's massive Powerball jackpot might be smart to dream of an annuity, rather than a truckload of cash.

Perplexed that it seems no one can win the gigantic $1.5 billion Powerball prize.

Are you the lucky winner?

Think you’re a sure bet to win an estimated $1.2 billion Powerball jackpot.

People showed up at convenience stores, groceries and gas stations across the U.S. to snatch up lottery tickets for a chance at a massive $1 billion Powerball jackpot.

There were no big treats from the Halloween night Powerball drawing, as none of the tickets sold matched all six numbers.

The Powerball jackpot keeps getting larger because players keep losing.

The Powerball jackpot keeps getting larger because players keep losing.

The Powerball jackpot keeps getting larger because players keep losing.

A massive lottery jackpot got a little bigger as the top Powerball prize climbed to an estimated $825 million ahead of Saturday night’s drawing.

No one won an estimated $700 million Powerball jackpot, meaning the big prize will grow to an estimated $800 million for the next drawing.

The eighth-largest lottery jackpot will be up for grabs when numbers are drawn for an estimated $700 million Powerball grand prize.

The Powerball jackpot prize grew on Saturday after no ticket matched all the numbers.

Across the U.S., state lottery systems use that revenue to boost education, tourism, transportation and much more.

A single lottery ticket sold in Arizona won Wednesday’s Powerball jackpot of $473.1 million, lottery officials said.

A Michigan woman discovered she was the winner of a $3 million Mega Millions prize when she checked the spam folder of her email account.

Powerball tickets sold in Wisconsin and California were winners of the latest jackpot and will split $632 million.

We still have time to scream "Show me the money, honey!" as there was no winner for the Powerball on Christmas Day. Now, the jackpot has grown to a whopping $416 million and those who still have lotto fever still have time to get their tickets ahead of Monday night's drawing.

How playing the Powerball realated to a weather forecasts chance of rain.

After 40 drawings without a big Powerball winner, maybe Monday night’s 41st attempt will be different.

After 40 drawings without a big Powerball winner, a single ticket sold in California matched all six numbers and was the lucky winner of the nearly $700 million jackpot prize.

The biggest lottery prize in more than eight months is growing larger after no ticket matched all five numbers and the Powerball in Saturday night’s drawing.

The Powerball jackpot has climbed to an estimated $620 million after nearly four months without a big winner.

Monday will have a new meaning for Texas lottery players!

Idaho Lottery Director Jeff Anderson addresses the House State Affairs Committee at the Statehouse in Boise, Idaho on Wednesday, March 10, 2021. The panel killed legislation that would have allowed the Powerball game with multi-million dollar jackpots to continue in the state. (AP Photo/Keith Ridler)BOISE, Idaho – Idaho lawmakers fearing foreign participation in the Powerball lottery killed legislation on Wednesday that would have allowed the game with huge jackpots to continue in the state after a run of more than 30 years. The move came after Idaho Lottery officials sought a change in state law because Powerball is expanding to include Australia in 2021 and Britain in 2022. Some Idaho lawmakers said they feared that the odds of an Idaho resident winning would be reduced with more players.

DES MOINES, Iowa – UPDATE: The drawing for the Mega Millions was announced Friday night as 4 - 26 - 42 - 50 - 60 - 24. It’s only the third time a lottery jackpot has grown so large, but much has changed since the last time such a big prize was up for grabs in 2018. After a peak in October 2018, Medenica said sales of the big lottery games dropped about 50%, prompting talk among lottery officials about jackpot fatigue. By design, Mega Millions and Powerball are relatively generous in awarding small dollar prizes and lottery officials boast there is a roughly one in 24 chance of winning something. It’s hard to fathom how unlikely it is to beat odds of one in 292.2 million for Powerball or one in 302.5 million for Mega Millions.

Just who will collect the Powerball prize may never be known: Maryland is one of the states that allows winners to remain anonymous. The Powerball jackpot came only a day after nobody won the $970 million Mega Millions prize, the third-largest prize in U.S. history. The biggest prize was a $1.58 billion Powerball jackpot won by three people in 2016. Most winners opt for cash prizes, which for Mega Millions would be $716.3 million and $546.8 million for Wednesday's Powerball. After the Powerball win, the new jackpot has a $15 million cash value.

The Mega Millions top prize climbed to an estimated $865 million, the biggest jackpot in more than two years. The winning number’s in Tuesday night’s Mega Millions drawing were: 10-19-26-28-50 and a Mega Ball of 16. No one has won the Mega Millions jackpot since Sept. 15, allowing the prize to grow larger and larger over four months. For Mega Millions, the odds of matching all six numbers is one in 302.5 million, and for Powerball it’s one in 292.2 million. Mega Millions and Powerball are both played in 45 states as well as Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

HOUSTON – Houston-area residents purchased Powerball lottery tickets worth $1M at a Sugar Land Kroger and a Houston convenience store, Texas Lottery officials said. The individuals bought Powerball tickets that matched five of the numbers picked in Saturday’s Powerball drawing -- 14, 20, 39, 65 and 67- though they did not match the Powerball drawn, which was 2. One individual bought a Powerball ticket at a Sugar Land Kroger, located at 18861 University Blvd. and another individual purchased a Powerball ticket at a Houston Quick Stuff Convenience Store, located at 8055 North Sam Houston Pkwy. Another Powerball ticket sold in Texas matched five of the numbers drawn Saturday.

Blank forms for the Powerball lottery sit in a bin at a local grocery store, Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2021, in Des Moines, Iowa. No one beat the odds in Friday's Mega Millions drawing, so that jackpot grew to an estimated $850 million. It's been nearly two years since a lottery jackpot has grown so large. The estimated cash prize for the next Mega Millions jackpot is $628.2 million. Mega Millions and Powerball are both played in 45 states as well as Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Blank forms for the Mega Millions lottery sit in a bin at a local grocery store, Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2021, in Des Moines, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)DES MOINES, Iowa – One of the largest jackpots in U.S. history will grow even larger since there was no winner for Friday’s drawing of the Mega Millions’ $750 million top prize. Mega Millions estimated its next top prize would be $850 million, which would be the third-largest of all time. The estimated cash prize for the next Mega Millions jackpot is $628.2 million. Mega Millions and Powerball are both played in 45 states as well as Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Here are the winning numbers for Friday night’s Mega Millions drawing: 3, 11, 12, 38 and 43. Previous story:With the widest reach of any lotteries in the U.S., Powerball and Mega Millions are designed to produce eyepopping jackpots that generate huge sales. The next Mega Millions drawing is Friday night, when an estimated $750 million prize will be up for grabs. The drawing for an estimated $640 million Powerball jackpot will be Saturday night. Your odds of winning either jackpot is exceedingly small, at 1 in 292.2 million for Powerball and 1 in 302.5 million for Mega Millions.

A billboard advertises the jackpots of the Powerball and Mega Millions lotteries, in Omaha, Neb., Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2021. Numbers for Wednesday night’s Powerball drawing were: 4-19-23-25-49 and a Powerball of 14. The Powerball prize drawing was only a day after no one won a $625 million Mega Millions jackpot, causing that prize to grow to $750 million ahead of the next drawing on Friday night. The Mega Millions prize is now the fifth-largest in U.S. history. Mega Millions and Powerball are both played in 45 states as well as Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

A billboard advertises the jackpots of the Powerball and Mega Millions lotteries, in Omaha, Neb., Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2021. (AP Photo/Nati Harnik)DES MOINES, Iowa – Another night, another chance to win a giant lottery jackpot. Wednesday night’s Powerball jackpot was worth at least $550 million. Winning numbers for Wednesday night’s Powerball drawing were: 4-19-23-25-49 and a Powerball of 14. Mega Millions and Powerball are both played in 45 states as well as Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The Mega Millions $625 million jackpot is the largest lottery prize in nearly two years. Mega Millions officials increased the jackpot estimate at midday Tuesday. Those dreaming of instant riches might want to remember that the odds of winning Powerball are one in 292.2 million. They're even steeper for Mega Millions, at one in 302.5 million. Mega Millions and Powerball are both played in 45 states as well as Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Lottery players have a chance to win the largest jackpots in nearly two years as Tuesday's Mega Millions has grown to an estimated $625 million and Wednesday's Powerball to an estimated $550 million. The Mega Millions $625 million jackpot is the largest lottery prize in nearly two years. The winning numbers in Tuesday night’s drawing of the Mega Millions game were: 12-14-26-28-33, Mega Ball: 09. Nearly all jackpot winners actually take the cash option, which would be an estimated $458.8 million for Mega Millions and $411.4 million for Powerball. Mega Millions and Powerball are both played in 45 states as well as Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The projected Mega Millions grand prize is the eighth largest in U.S. history, and the Powerball jackpot is the 12th biggest. Both still pale in comparison to the largest prize, a $1.58 billion Powerball jackpot won by three players in 2016. The odds of winning the Powerball jackpot are one in 292.2 million, and the chances are even worse for Mega Millions at one in 302.5 million. Nearly all winners actually opt for the cash option, which for Mega Millions would now be an estimated $451.8 million and for Powerball is $411.4 million. Mega Millions and Powerball are both played in 45 states as well as Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

HOUSTON – Two lucky people woke up at least a million dollars richer, thanks to two winning lottery tickets sold in the Houston-area. On Christmas Day, the Texas Lottery Commission reported that a Mega Millions ticket with a prize amount of $1 million was sold at a Kroger in Katy located at 2700 W. Grand Parkway N. The winning numbers were 17, 23, 36, 69 and 70. On Dec. 26, it was announced that there was a winner of a Powerball ticket sold at a Fiesta Mart located at 11006 Airline Dr. The winning numbers: 10, 24, 27, 35 and 53. A Powerball ticket with a prize amount of $1 million was also sold at a Tiger Mart located in Cleburne.

HOUSTON – The public application period for Harris County’s $30 million COVID-19 relief fund started Tuesday and much like the Powerball and the NBA Draft, recipients will be chosen by lottery. “We’re very lucky to be granted $1 million to be able to serve about 700 clients in the Harris County area,” said Morgan Zeringue with JFS. “The best we can do is to make sure that the funds are awarded fairly,” said Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo. Challenges post-HarveyThe county’s COVID-19 relief fund comes at a time when memories of the Harvey relief fund still linger. In March, the Texas General Land Office, unhappy with the recovery progress, came to an agreement with the county on the rebuilding of single-family homes.

Published: May 13, 2020, 9:56 am Updated: May 13, 2020, 10:02 amPLEASANT GARDEN, N.C. – A Pleasant Garden man went to pick up some pork rinds but ended up with a $200,000 prize. On March 18, Andrew Parrish, a small business owner, was driving home from work when he stopped at Han-Dee Hugo on U.S. 22 Business in Randleman. “I just got off work and stopped to get some pork rinds,” recalled Parrish. She cried all the way home.”Parrish picked up his prize Monday in Raleigh and left with $141,501 after taxes. He plans to use his prize money to pay off bills and his daughter’s car, and maybe buy himself a new truck.

HOUSTON – Are you a million dollars richer? The winning numbers were drawn Saturday night for the $625 million Powerball jackpot. That estimated jackpot is one of the largest in Powerball history after no tickets matched the six numbers in Wednesday's drawing. Here are the winning numbers: 24, 25, 52, 60, 66. Powerball: 5.

ORLANDO, Fla. – The winning numbers in Wednesday evening's drawing of the "Powerball" game were: 09-15-43-60-64, Powerball: 4, Power Play: 3The jackpot for Wednesday's drawing was $430 million, at last check.