The matrix went from 5-of-70 + 1-of-25 to 5-of-70 + 1-of-24. That single number change is small but it tightens the Mega Ball odds slightly: matching the Mega Ball alone moved from 1 in 35 to 1 in 35 (rounded), and overall jackpot odds shifted from 1 in 302.6M to 1 in 290.5M. The mains pool itself is unchanged — pick 5 from 1 to 70.
Ticket price: $2 → $5. That's a 150% jump. The consortium frames it as 'better odds across all tiers' and points to the bigger base prize and built-in multiplier; in raw EV terms a single $5 line sits between a single old $2 line plus a $1 Megaplier ($3 total) and a fully-multiplier-loaded $7 line under the previous structure. Whether that's a price increase or a feature consolidation depends on how you used to play.
Starting jackpot: $20M → $50M. The minimum advertised jackpot is now larger than every other US game — Powerball still starts at $20M. After a Mega Millions Division 1 win, the next draw resets to $50M; after a Powerball Division 1 win, the next draw resets to $20M. Across a calendar year that gap means Mega Millions averages a noticeably higher jackpot floor.
Built-in multiplier replaces Megaplier. Every $5 ticket comes with a multiplier (2x, 3x, 4x, 5x, or 10x) drawn alongside the main numbers and applied to all non-jackpot prizes automatically. There's no longer a separate Megaplier add-on — the option simply went away. Match-5 (no Mega Ball) still pays a flat $5M regardless of multiplier.
Selling jurisdictions are unchanged: 45 states + DC + USVI (47 jurisdictions total). Puerto Rico does not sell Mega Millions. The 5 non-participating states are the same 5 that don't operate state lotteries: Alabama, Alaska, Hawaii, Nevada, and Utah.
Practical impact for casual players: if you used to buy a $2 line without Megaplier, you're now spending $5 for what is — apples-to-apples — a slightly tougher jackpot ticket with stronger non-jackpot prizes. If you used to buy $2 + $1 Megaplier ($3 total), the $5 ticket is somewhere between a 67% price hike and a structural feature upgrade. Either way, jackpot floor and frequency mean Mega Millions is now a bigger headline game than Powerball on most weeks.