When you buy a lottery ticket, the cashier or the playslip often offers you an extra: a multiplier, a second draw, or a bonus game — usually for $1 or €1 more. These extras are called lottery add-ons, and they are one of the least understood parts of playing the lottery. This guide explains the main add-ons — Power Play, Megaplier, Double Play, All Star Bonus and EuroMillions Plus — what each one costs, exactly what it changes about your ticket, and whether it is worth the money. Please note: you must be 18 or older to play the lottery in most places, and add-ons should always be bought within a budget you can afford. Play responsibly.
Table of Contents
- What Are Lottery Add-Ons?
- The Main Types of Add-Ons
- Power Play (Powerball)
- Megaplier (Mega Millions)
- Double Play
- Other Add-Ons Around the World
- Are Lottery Add-Ons Worth It?
- Watch: How Power Play Works
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Conclusion
What Are Lottery Add-Ons?
A lottery add-on is an optional extra you buy together with your main ticket. It never changes your main numbers, and it never improves your chances of matching the numbers drawn. What it changes is either the size of the prize you win (a multiplier) or the number of draws your numbers are entered into (a second draw). Think of it as a side bet attached to your ticket: you pay a little more per line, and in return you get either bigger prizes or more chances to win something.
Add-ons are always optional, and you must choose them before the draw — you cannot add one after buying a ticket, and you cannot add one after the draw has happened. Most add-ons cost $1 per play in the United States or €1 per line in Europe, which means they raise the price of a ticket by 50% or more. That is why it is worth understanding exactly what you are buying before you tick the box.
The important thing to remember is that every add-on has the same basic deal: you pay more for every ticket, and the lottery pays out more only when you win. Whether that trade is good value depends on what kind of player you are. Our guide to lottery odds for beginners explains why no add-on can change the odds of your numbers being drawn.
The Main Types of Add-Ons
Almost every add-on falls into one of two families. The first family is multipliers: they multiply a non-jackpot prize by a number drawn separately, such as 2x, 3x, 4x, 5x or 10x. Power Play and Megaplier belong to this family. The second family is second draws: they enter the same numbers you already picked into an extra drawing, giving you another chance to win. Double Play and EuroMillions Plus belong to this family.
Multipliers change how much you win. Second draws change how many chances you get. Neither changes the odds of the main draw, and neither can multiply the jackpot — the jackpot is always excluded from multiplier add-ons. That single rule catches out many new players, so it is worth repeating: no add-on multiplies the jackpot.
Power Play (Powerball)
Power Play is the best-known lottery add-on in the world. It is available on Powerball, the American game in which players pick five white balls from 1 to 69 and one red Powerball from 1 to 26. A standard Powerball play costs $2. Adding Power Play costs an extra $1 per play, bringing the total to $3.
Before each Powerball drawing, a separate Power Play number is drawn from a pool of multipliers: 2x, 3x, 4x, 5x or 10x. If your ticket wins a non-jackpot prize, that prize is multiplied by the Power Play number drawn that night. A $50 prize becomes $100 with a 2x multiplier, $150 with 3x, $200 with 4x, $250 with 5x, or $500 with 10x. The 10x multiplier is only in play when the advertised jackpot is $150 million or less.
There is one special case. The Match 5 prize — matching all five white balls without the Powerball — is normally $1 million. With Power Play, that prize becomes a fixed $2 million, no matter which multiplier is drawn. It is not multiplied by 2x or 10x; it simply doubles. The Lottery.net Power Play guide confirms the fixed $2 million rule and the full multiplier range.
Two details are worth knowing. First, Power Play is not available in California, because state law requires all prizes to be paid on a pari-mutuel basis, and a fixed multiplier does not fit that rule. Second, in Idaho and Montana, Power Play is added automatically and the ticket simply costs $3 — there is no option to remove it. You can read a clear walkthrough of the mechanics in the DraftKings guide to how Power Play works.
Megaplier (Mega Millions)
Megaplier was Mega Millions’ equivalent of Power Play: an optional $1 add-on that multiplied non-jackpot prizes by 2x, 3x, 4x or 5x. Under the old format, a $1 million Match 5 prize could become up to $5 million with a 5x Megaplier.
But here is an important update. Since the Mega Millions game changed on 8 April 2025, there is no separate Megaplier purchase any more. Every Mega Millions play now costs $5 and comes with a randomly assigned multiplier of 2x, 3x, 4x, 5x or 10x printed on the ticket. The multiplier applies to every non-jackpot prize, just as Megaplier used to — but it is now built into the price of the ticket instead of being an optional extra. If you see an old article telling you to “add Megaplier for $1”, it is describing the game as it was before April 2025. Our Powerball vs Mega Millions comparison explains the current formats of both games side by side.
The lesson is a useful one: add-ons change. Lotteries redesign their games every few years, and an add-on that existed last year may be built into the ticket price this year, or removed entirely. Always check the current rules on the official lottery website before you play.
Double Play
Double Play works completely differently from a multiplier. For an extra $1, your Powerball numbers are entered into a second, separate drawing held after the regular Powerball drawing. It is not a multiplier — it is a second chance with the same numbers. The Double Play drawing has its own prize structure, with a top prize of $10 million, and it uses the same five white balls and one Powerball format.
The key difference is what you are buying. Power Play buys bigger prizes for the draw you are already in. Double Play buys entry into another draw entirely. If your numbers are drawn in the main game, Power Play makes the prize bigger. If your numbers are drawn in the Double Play drawing, you win a separate prize — even if you won nothing in the main draw.
Double Play is only offered in some states, so it is not available everywhere Powerball is sold. And like every other add-on, it costs $1 per play — so a Powerball ticket with both Power Play and Double Play costs $4 per play instead of $2.
Other Add-Ons Around the World
Add-ons are not only an American idea. In Ireland, EuroMillions players can add EuroMillions Plus for an extra €1 per line. Your five main EuroMillions numbers are entered into a separate Plus draw held on the same night, with a fixed top prize of €500,000 for matching all five numbers. The Lucky Stars from your main EuroMillions ticket do not count in the Plus draw. You can win in both draws on the same night, and the odds of matching all five Plus numbers are 1 in 2,118,760 — far better than the main EuroMillions jackpot odds. The official Irish National Lottery EuroMillions Plus page lists the current prizes and rules.
In the United States, Lotto America offers the All Star Bonus, a multiplier add-on that works like Power Play for that game. In France, EuroMillions players are automatically entered into the My Million raffle, which guarantees a €1 million winner in France on every draw — though that is included in the ticket price rather than sold as an add-on. The pattern is the same everywhere: the add-on gives you either bigger prizes or another draw, for a small extra cost per line.
Are Lottery Add-Ons Worth It?
There is no single right answer, because it depends on what you want from the game. Here is how to think about it.
Multipliers are best for players chasing mid-tier prizes. If you match five white balls in Powerball, Power Play turns $1 million into $2 million. That is a real, meaningful difference, and it costs only $1. But remember that the chance of matching five white balls is about 1 in 11.7 million — so most of the time, the extra $1 buys nothing at all. A multiplier only pays off when you already win something.
Second draws are best for players who want more chances. Double Play and EuroMillions Plus give your numbers a second shot on the same night. The prizes are smaller than the main jackpot, but the odds of winning something are better because the second draw has fewer prize tiers and, in the case of EuroMillions Plus, much shorter odds.
Add-ons are worst for players on a tight budget. An extra $1 per play is a 50% price increase on a $2 Powerball ticket. If you play five lines a week, Power Play turns $10 into $15 — an extra $260 a year. For the same money, you could buy more lines in the main draw instead, which increases your chances of winning anything at all. Our guide to lottery prize tiers shows how prizes are structured and why the lower tiers matter more than most players think.
The honest maths is this: no add-on improves the expected value of your money. The lottery keeps the same share of every dollar, with or without the add-on. What an add-on changes is the shape of your possible wins — bigger prizes, or more draws — not the value of the ticket. Buy an add-on because you enjoy what it adds to the game, not because you think it makes you more likely to win.
Watch: How Power Play Works
This video walks through the Power Play multiplier step by step:
Frequently Asked Questions
What are lottery add-ons?
Lottery add-ons are optional extras you buy with your main ticket. They either multiply your non-jackpot prizes (like Power Play and Megaplier) or enter your numbers into an extra draw (like Double Play and EuroMillions Plus). They never change your numbers or improve your odds of matching them.
How much does Power Play cost?
Power Play costs an extra $1 per Powerball play, on top of the $2 ticket price, so a ticket with Power Play costs $3. In Idaho and Montana it is included automatically and the ticket costs $3. It is not available in California.
Does Power Play multiply the jackpot?
No. No add-on multiplies the jackpot. Power Play only multiplies non-jackpot prizes, and the $1 million Match 5 prize becomes a fixed $2 million with Power Play, regardless of the multiplier drawn.
Can I still buy Megaplier for Mega Millions?
No — not as a separate add-on. Since the Mega Millions changes of 8 April 2025, every $5 play includes a randomly assigned multiplier of 2x to 10x. The old $1 Megaplier add-on no longer exists.
What is Double Play?
Double Play is a $1 add-on that enters your Powerball numbers into a second drawing held after the main draw, with its own prizes and a $10 million top prize. It is a second chance, not a multiplier, and it is only available in some states.
Are lottery add-ons worth the extra money?
It depends on what you value. Multipliers make mid-tier prizes bigger, and second draws give you another chance to win, but neither improves the expected value of your ticket. If you are on a tight budget, spending the extra dollar on more lines in the main draw usually gives you more chances to win something.
Conclusion
Lottery add-ons are simple once you know the two families they belong to. Multipliers like Power Play make your non-jackpot prizes bigger — Power Play costs $1 extra and can multiply prizes by up to 10x, while the old Megaplier has now been built into every $5 Mega Millions ticket. Second draws like Double Play and EuroMillions Plus give your numbers another chance on the same night for $1 or €1 more. Neither type can multiply the jackpot, and neither can improve your odds of matching the numbers drawn. If you enjoy the extra excitement and you can afford the higher ticket price, add-ons are a fun part of the game. If you are watching your budget, the extra dollar is usually better spent on another line. Either way, you must be 18 or older to play, and you should always play responsibly, with money you can afford to spend.
Sources: Power Play information (Lottery.net); How Power Play works (DraftKings Network); EuroMillions Plus (Irish National Lottery)