Mega Millions at $5: the new prize chart and built-in multiplier
Mega Millions changed with the draw of Tuesday, April 8, 2025. The price went up to $5 per play, the optional Megaplier add-on was retired and replaced by a multiplier that comes with every ticket, the starting jackpot rose from $20 million to $50 million, and the prize chart was rebuilt around the multiplier. If you last played the old game, the numbers you remember are out of date. Here is how the current game pays, based on the prize chart published by Mega Millions.
Base prizes and odds
Mega Millions publishes its chart with the multiplier already applied, starting at 2x. The base amounts below are those prizes before the multiplier, which is how most people talk about the game. Because every ticket has at least a 2x multiplier, the smallest amount you can actually receive at each level is double the base.
| You match | Base prize | With 2x (minimum paid) | Odds (1 in) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 + Mega Ball | Jackpot | Jackpot | 290,472,336 |
| 5 | $1,000,000 | $2,000,000 | 12,629,232 |
| 4 + MB | $10,000 | $20,000 | 893,761 |
| 4 | $500 | $1,000 | 38,859 |
| 3 + MB | $200 | $400 | 13,965 |
| 3 | $10 | $20 | 607 |
| 2 + MB | $10 | $20 | 665 |
| 1 + MB | $7 | $14 | 86 |
| MB only | $5 | $10 | 35 |
Source: Mega Millions "How to Play" prize chart. Base prize = the 2x amount divided by two.
A detail many sites get wrong: matching two white balls plus the Mega Ball pays a $10 base prize, the same as three white balls without the Mega Ball. With the multiplier, both pay at least $20.
How the built-in multiplier works
The multiplier is assigned at random when you buy the ticket and is printed on it. It is not drawn on draw night. That means two people who match the same numbers can win different amounts, depending on the multiplier on each ticket.
| Multiplier | Odds | Match 5 pays | 4 + MB pays |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2x | 1 in 2.13 | $2,000,000 | $20,000 |
| 3x | 1 in 3.2 | $3,000,000 | $30,000 |
| 4x | 1 in 8 | $4,000,000 | $40,000 |
| 5x | 1 in 16 | $5,000,000 | $50,000 |
| 10x | 1 in 32 | $10,000,000 | $100,000 |
Unlike Powerball's Power Play, the multiplier does multiply the Match 5 prize in full, so a 10x ticket that matches five white balls pays $10 million. The jackpot itself is never multiplied, and the multiplier does not change your odds of matching numbers.
California is different
In California, prizes below the jackpot are paid on a pari-mutuel basis and will differ from the fixed amounts above. The California Lottery publishes the California amounts after each draw. California does not tax California Lottery prizes, including Mega Millions; see our California guide.
The jackpot: annuity or cash
Mega Millions describes two ways to take the jackpot:
- Annuity: one immediate payment followed by 29 annual payments, each 5% bigger than the one before.
- Cash: a one-time lump sum equal to all the cash in the jackpot prize pool.
If more than one ticket matches all six numbers, the jackpot is shared. The advertised jackpot is the annuity total, so the cash option is always much smaller. See how lottery cash value is calculated.
How each prize is taxed
The higher prizes on the new chart cross federal tax lines more often than the old ones did:
- Prizes under $2,000 get no IRS form. That covers every Mega Ball only, 1 + MB, 2 + MB and Match 3 prize, Match 4 at 2x or 3x, and Match 3 + MB at 2x to 5x. They are still taxable income.
- $2,000 and up (payments in 2026): Form W-2G is issued, because the prize is also more than 300 times the $5 wager. Examples: Match 4 at 4x or more, or Match 3 + MB at 10x. See Form W-2G explained.
- More than $5,000 after the ticket cost: 24% federal tax is withheld. Every 4 + MB prize ($20,000 to $100,000) and every Match 5 prize ($2 million to $10 million) is in this group.
- Match 5: a $2 million to $10 million prize puts most winners in the top 37% federal bracket for 2026. The 24% withheld at claim time will not cover the full bill; plan for the gap. Our 24% vs 37% guide explains it.
Example: a 3x Match 5 ticket
You match five white balls on a ticket with a 3x multiplier, bought and claimed in your home state of Florida, which does not tax lottery winnings. You win $3 million. The lottery withholds 24%, or $720,000. At the top federal rate of 37% your bill would be about $1.11 million, so set aside roughly $390,000 more. In a state that taxes lottery prizes, add state tax: our calculator and state guides show the rate.
Common questions
Is Megaplier still sold?
No. The North Dakota Lottery's announcement of the new game said Megaplier was retired and replaced by the built-in multiplier, which is included in the $5 price.
Can I choose my multiplier?
No. It is assigned at random when the ticket is printed. Check your ticket to see which one you got.
Did the odds change in 2025?
The jackpot odds are now 1 in 290,472,336. Compare older figures with care: many sites still show the pre-2025 game.
Sources
- Mega Millions: How to Play (price, multiplier odds, prize chart, payout options)
- North Dakota Lottery news release, March 25, 2025 (first $5 draw April 8, 2025; Megaplier retired; draw days)
- IRS Instructions for Forms W-2G and 5754 (Rev. January 2026)
- IRS: 2026 tax inflation adjustments (37% bracket thresholds)
Prize amounts and odds checked in November 2026. The published prize chart always prevails. This guide is general information, not tax advice.