Army veteran wins $150,000 Powerball with $3 ticket

AS OUR MARY SALADNA EXPLAINS TONIGHT, YOU KNOW, WE OFTEN SEE THE TWO JACKPOTS ADVERTISED SIDE BY SIDE POWERBALL AND MEGA MILLIONS. BUT NOW THE ORGANIZERS OF MEGA MILLIONS ARE LOOKING TO SHAKE THINGS UP. MEGA MILLIONS IS ABOUT TO GET A MEGA OVERHAUL. STARTING NEXT SPRING, THE GAME WILL OFFER IMPROVED ODDS TO WIN BIGGER JACKPOTS, MORE FREQUENTLY, LARGER STARTING JACKPOTS, AND FASTER GROWING JACKPOTS. THE NEW TICKET WILL ALSO INCLUDE A BUILT IN MULTIPLIER ON EVERY PLAY, WHICH WILL MULTIPLY A NON-JACKPOT WIN UP TO TEN TIMES, OR UP TO $10 MILLION. IN ADDITION, THE REVISED GAME DOES AWAY WITH BREAK EVEN PRIZES, SO IF YOU WIN, YOU’LL ALWAYS WIN MORE THAN THE COST OF THE TICKET. THE MEGA MILLIONS IS OFFERED IN 45 STATES AND TWO U.S. TERRITORIES, SO THESE CHANGES ARE BEING MADE AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL. THEY’RE CONSTANTLY LOOKING AT WAYS TO TO ENHANCE THE GAMES, MAYBE MAKE THEM A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN POWERBALL. YOU HAVE PROBABLY HEARD ABOUT JACKPOT FATIGUE. IT USED TO BE $100 MILLION AND EVERYBODY WAS PLAYING. AND THEN IT BECAME 300, AND THEN IT WAS 500, AND NOW IT’S REALLY APPROACHING $1 BILLION BEFORE YOU REALLY SEE THE SALES KICK UP. BUT HERE’S THE CATCH. SHAKING THINGS UP WILL ALSO MEAN A CHANGE IN THE PRICE OF A MEGA MILLIONS TICKET, WHICH IS CURRENTLY $2 $3. IF YOU ADD THE MEGA PLIER, THE SAME PRICE. NOPE. FIVE BUCKS. THE OH, I DON’T KNOW. I DON’T KNOW. THAT’S A TOUGH SELL, BUT MOST FOLKS TOLD US THEY HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH THE FLAT $5 TICKET PRICE. LET’S DO THIS. LET’S LET’S GET THIS OVER WITH. I’M WITH THIS. OKAY? OKAY, I’LL PAY $10 IF IT’S GOING TO GET ME SOME MORE MONEY. THEY HAVE $50. SCRATCH TICKETS. PEOPLE BUY THEM LIKE IT’S NOTHING. SO WHAT’S $5 FOR MEGA MILLIONS? FOR BETTER ODDS TO WIN. IF YOU’RE NOT SURE WHAT TO MAKE OF THESE CHANGES, AT LEAST YOU’LL HAVE SOME TIME TO GET USED TO THEM. THEY DON’T TAKE EFFECT UNTIL NEXT APRIL IN NORWOOD.