SACRAMENTO -- Better odds and bigger jackpots. The California Lottery Commission is scheduled to vote Thursday on changing the way the Mega Millions game is played.

If approved by the commission this week, the new game rules, which the lottery will take effect in April. Carolyn Becker, a spokesperson for the California Lottery, said "these changes are being driven at a national level because this is a multi-state game."

The difference begins with the minimum jackpot, which is currently $20 million.

"That starting jackpot will actually start at $50 million, so right from the jump, there will be better odds at winning more money," Becker said.

Currently, players pick one of 25 possible Mega Ball numbers, but in the new game, that will be reduced to just 24 numbers -- increasing the chance of winning the jackpot.

"It's really just math behind the scenes in terms of the number of possible combinations," Becker said.

The odds of winning now are one in 302 million. Under the new game, that's reduced to one in 290 million.

California is also adding what's called a "multiplier" on the ticket to boost prize payouts.

"At the very least, your prizes automatically double," Becker said. "In some cases though, tickets will have a 10x multiplier and that prize will go up tenfold."

These advantages, however, also come with another big change: the cost of a ticket.

"Prices will go up from $2 as they are now to $5," Becker said.

That 150% price hike comes at a time when there's been a dramatic drop in annual revenue from Mega Millions in California with sales falling by $110 million in just the last year.

For each of the new $5 tickets sold, $2 will go toward education in California. The changes do not impact the price of Powerball tickets. which will remain at $2.