Mega Millions: Signs of jackpot fatigue?

The nation is showing signs of jackpot fatigue.

Three Januarys ago, the nation went nuts over a $237 million Mega Millions jackpot, sending it soaring to $380 million, then the second biggest lottery prize in U.S. history.

Tuesday night, a similar starting point -- $240 million -- resulted in a far smaller top prize, $270 million, when nobody matched all the numbers drawn.

They were 10, 29, 31, 35 and 45, with a Mega Ball of 10.

All three tickets matching the first five numbers were sold in California, which, under its pari-mutuel system, will pay each winner $421,804.

See also "Powerball jackpot hit in lucky California"

Of course, sales were likely off because of nasty weather in many of the nation's most populous states. New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Maryland, Ohio, Michigan and Illinois account for 40 percent of Mega Millions sales, according to its director, Paula Otto, head of the Virginia Lottery.

But symptoms have been cropping up for many months.

In a way, Powerball and Mega Millions might be victims of their own success.

For five years, from March 2007 to March 2012, a $390 million Mega Millions jackpot held the U.S. jackpot record. Now that mark is only No. 8 on the list of biggest jackpots in U.S. history. Mega Millions has had two annuity jackpots finish around $650 million, and Powerball has had two worth about $590 million.

A quarter-billion dollars? Ho-hum. Been there. Done that.

Folks used to go bananas over jackpots that crossed the $200 million mark. In May 2000, the Big Game, Mega Millions' precursor, soared from $230 million to $363 million, and such reactions were familiar until a couple of years ago.

In March 2011, a $204 million Mega Millions jackpot zoomed to $319 million, when it was won.

Just one year later, in March 2012, on its journey to the all-time U.S. record, a Mega Millions jackpot failed to go wild until it reached $356 million. Then it triggered the biggest feeding frenzy ever, pushing the jackpot up another $300 million to $656 million.

In December, when Mega Millions made another run at the record, it didn't have an nine-digit jump until it reached $425 million. It finished at $648 million.

"What is today's tipping point?" Otto wondered. "With so many variables (time of year, weather, etc.) it's difficult to say exactly what it is, but we are seeing more evidence that being in record territory is important and that translates into $500 million and above."

There is another possibility. Maybe players are wising up to the odds getting worse.

Before January 2012, $2 would buy you two Powerball tickets each with a 1 in 175 million chance. Now it buys a single ticket.

In October, Mega Millions jacked up its odds to 1 in 256 million, a 50 percent increase, in hopes of having more rollovers and bigger jackpots.

Oddly, a slower pace can also contribute to bigger jackpots, because the odds of someone hitting rise as more people play.

For more about lotteries, go to the Philly.com lottery page, MegaMillions.com or Powerball.com.

Contact staff writer Peter Mucha at 215-854-4342.