This Mega Millions Option Turned These Small Lottery Wins Into $1 Million Each

This Hoosier Lottery $1 million winner was pleased he took the options. Via Hoosier Lottery

If your lottery game offers cheap winning options, it's wise to take them. Tommy Matheny thought he had only won $250,000, but forgot he had included the Megaplier for the Hoosier Mega Millions.

This $1 addition effectively quadrupled his win to $1 million this week.

Sometimes these small increases to your entry fee can pay off in a big way!

Pamela Ivey won 4 times her original prize when the clerk made a mistake by adding the Megaplier, which boosted her Mega Millions total to $1 million.
PHOTO: Kentucky Lottery

What is the Mega Millions Megaplier?

Mega Millions players have the option to activate a prize multiplier, called Megaplier, in 45 of its 46 jurisdictions.

According to Mega Millions, most states use a Megaplier feature for the Mega Millions in which players can increase non-jackpot prize winnings by 2, 3, 4 or 5 times. In a participating state, you can play the Megaplier for an extra $1.

Any non-jackpot prize won on a Mega Millions play will be multiplied by the Megaplier number drawn if you have purchased the Megaplier feature.

For example, if you win the $1 million second-tier prize in Mega Millions, and the Megaplier number drawn is 5, your prize would be $5 million.

The Megaplier was made available to all Mega Millions states in January 2011. It began as an option available only in Texas.