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State of Play’s TL;DR
- Ohio Lottery officials say players are showing signs of “jackpot fatigue.”
- They say even massive Mega Millions and Powerball prizes no longer drive the same sales response they once did.
According to Ohio Lottery spokesperson Danielle Frizzi-Babb, the threshold for player excitement has risen as Mega Millions and Powerball billion-dollar jackpots have become more common.
She said “the levels that you would think would drive traffic don’t really anymore” and said players have what the Lottery calls “jackpot fatigue.”
That matters because Ohio Lottery profits help fund education in the state. The Lottery transferred more than $1.4 billion to Ohio schools last year, down from more than $1.5 billion in 2024.
Bigger jackpots, weaker buzz
Frizzi-Babb said sales may not meaningfully pick up again until a jackpot exceeds $1 billion. The current Mega Millions jackpot is close to $800 million.
The broader backdrop is that giant jackpots are no longer rare. Powerball and Mega Millions prizes have topped $1 billion 14 times, including once a year in each of the last three years, according to the Statehouse News Bureau. That frequency appears to have changed how players react to headline-grabbing totals that previously would have drawn heavier traffic.
Frizzi-Babb also pointed to consumer spending limits and competition from other forms of entertainment.
“People have a certain amount of discretionary dollars, an amount of money that they’re willing to spend on their entertainment. And there’s all sorts of entertainment to choose from.”
It should be noted that a Mega Millions ticket increased from $2 to $5 in 2025. Online lottery players in Ohio can purchase tickets through Jackpocket and Lotto.com.
The next key test is whether sales accelerate when Mega Millions or Powerball climbs back above the $1 billion mark. Ohio officials said that level may now be the point where jackpot buzz returns in a meaningful way.
Based on reporting by Jo Ingles for Statehouse News Bureau.
