Mega Millions ticket price hike to $5 concerns some Long Islanders

When Mega Millions tickets doubled in price from $1 to $2 in 2017, Gary Dhindsa, owner of One Stop Cards And Convenience in Farmingdale said his business dwindled.

"At the beginning, when it started ... it was going very good," he said. "People used to play in a group, $200, $100."

Now, people who come in play around $20 or $40 maximum, Dhindsa said. But next year, he fears, no one will play.

Dhindsa is one of many Long Islanders and business owners who were concerned Tuesday, after Mega Millions announced it would again increase its prices from $2 to $5, going into effect in April 2025.

Lottery director Gweneth Dean said in a statement there will be "improvements" to the game, starting at the time the price increase takes effect, including "bigger prizes at every level, improved odds, and more chances to win life-changing money.”

But Dhindsa said after owning his convenience store for about 12 years, he has "slowly" seen a decrease in Mega Millions customers. 

"I don't think they will play, because it is almost a 300% hike, not 5 or 10%," he said. "When it goes from $2 to $5, forget about anything."

Raj Patel, owner of Dix Hills Lotto, said a large amount of his profits are from lottery tickets. 

"I am busy always," Patel said after serving at least six lottery players during a Tuesday afternoon lunch rush. "A lot of customers say that's ridiculous," he said, referring to the price increase.

Customer Marty Gering, of Huntington, said that, with the general increase of prices these days, he's not surprised.

"New York never runs out of ways [of] making more money. Never," said Gering, who bought a Mega Millions ticket at Dix Hills Lotto. "Pretty soon, they're going to be taxing us for the air we breathe."

According to the state lottery, operations for the 2023-24 fiscal year ended with $10.6 billion in combined sales, providing $3.8 billion to public schools and school districts throughout the state.

Of that, $567,677,918 in sales came from Powerball, leading to $234,978,002 in education aid, while Mega Millions accounted for $441,182,494 in sales — generating $182,617,956 in education aid to state public schools.

Suffolk school districts received $273,403,892.54, while Nassau schools received $220,199,716.54. New York City schools received $1,193,465,995.71, according to state figures.

According to the state, of the $8.2 billion generated by so-called "traditional lottery" games during the 2023-24 fiscal year, 58.8% — or more than $4.9 billion — went to prize payouts, while $2.7 billion — or 32.6% — went to education aid. The rest went to a range of operating costs, including commissions paid to retailers who sold winning tickets.

For now, New Yorkers have time to decide if the price hike is worth it. Gering said he still buys Powerball, a $2 ticket that is not slated to go up in price.

But will he continue to play Mega Millions?

"Maybe," he said.