Which is easier to win Mega Millions or Powerball?

Both Mega Millions and Powerball are huge, multi-state lottery games that offer life-changing jackpots. With odds of 1 in 302 million for Mega Millions and 1 in 292 million for Powerball, they are incredibly difficult to win. But which game gives you better odds of taking home a jackpot?

How Mega Millions and Powerball Work

First, let’s look at how each lottery works:

Mega Millions

Mega Millions is played in 45 states plus the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands. To play, you pick six numbers: five main numbers between 1 and 70 and one Mega Ball number between 1 and 25. The minimum Mega Millions jackpot is $40 million. The jackpot grows until there is a winner who matches all six numbers.

Powerball

Powerball is played in 45 states plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. To play, you pick five main numbers between 1 and 69 and one Powerball number between 1 and 26. The minimum Powerball jackpot is $40 million. The jackpot rolls over if there is no jackpot winner.

Comparing the Odds

The odds of winning either game are extremely long. Let’s compare the odds for some of the prizes:

Prize	Mega Millions Odds	Powerball Odds
Jackpot	1 in 302,575,350	1 in 292,201,338
$1 million (match 5+0)	1 in 12,607,306	1 in 11,688,053
$10,000 (match 4+1)	1 in 931,001	1 in 913,129
$500 (match 4+0)	1 in 38,792	1 in 36,525

As you can see, the odds of winning the jackpot for either game are nearly identical. Powerball has slightly better odds for the non-jackpot prizes. Overall, your chances are essentially the same for both lotteries.

Which Jackpot is Usually Bigger?

Both Mega Millions and Powerball have produced some giant jackpots over the years. Some record jackpots include:

• Mega Millions: $1.537 billion on October 23, 2018
• Powerball: $1.586 billion on January 13, 2016
• Mega Millions: $656 million on March 30, 2012
• Powerball: $758.7 million on August 23, 2017

Based on jackpot histories, Powerball jackpots tend to get slightly higher than Mega Millions. However, both lottery games are capable of producing astronomical jackpots in the billion-dollar range when the rolls continue for some time without a winner.

Which Game Pays Out Jackpots Better?

With massive jackpots comes taxes. As a big multi-state lottery, both Mega Millions and Powerball withhold federal taxes from jackpot winnings. However, there are some differences in state taxes.

For Mega Millions, most states withhold between 4-8% in state taxes. But some states like California, Pennsylvania, and New York do not withhold any taxes. The current Mega Millions jackpot annuity is paid out over 30 payments over 29 years.

For Powerball, some states withhold around 5-7% in taxes. But again states like California, Pennsylvania, Florida, Texas, Washington, and Tennessee do not withhold any taxes. Powerball jackpot annuities are paid out over 30 graduated payments over 29 years.

One analysis estimates that the cash value on a $1.5 billion Powerball jackpot would be over $100 million higher than a Mega Millions jackpot of the same amount after taxes are applied. However, it’s impossible to predict future jackpots. Either game is capable of producing bigger prizes.

Which Game Has Better Odds for Smaller Prizes?

Looking beyond the jackpot, your chances of winning smaller prizes favor Powerball slightly. Let’s compare odds on some of the smaller prizes:

Prize	Mega Millions Odds	Powerball Odds
$2 (match 1+0)	1 in 37	1 in 38.3
$4 (match 1+1)	1 in 103	1 in 90.5
$10 (match 2+1)	1 in 689	1 in 701

As you can see, Powerball offers slightly better odds for winning $4 and $10 prizes. While the odds are still long, matching even 1 number plus the Powerball offers better odds than Mega Millions of taking home a prize.

Which Game Has Better Overall Odds?

We’ve compared the jackpots, taxes, and prize odds. Considering everything, which game is easier to win overall?

The bottom line is that the odds of winning either game are extremely long. Your overall chances of taking home a prize are nearly equal in Mega Millions vs Powerball.

Some analysts estimate your overall chances of winning any prize to be around 1 in 24 for Mega Millions vs 1 in 24.87 for Powerball. So Powerball offers just slightly better odds, but it’s a negligible difference.

In the end, playing either lottery requires an immense amount of luck. But dreaming about jackpot winnings is a fun diversion for many. As long as you play responsibly, you have essentially an equal shot at winning with a Mega Millions or Powerball ticket.

Strategies for Playing

Your odds are astronomically low playing either Mega Millions or Powerball. But players have come up with some strategies that may (very slightly) improve your chances at winning a prize:

Buy more tickets

This is the most obvious way to increase your odds. Every ticket gives you an additional chance at the jackpot or other prizes. Just don’t spend more than you can afford on lottery tickets.

Join an office pool

Joining a lottery pool at your workplace or with friends allows you to buy more tickets at a lower cost per person. Pooling money can allow your group to buy dozens or even hundreds of tickets.

Mix odd and even numbers

Some players try to mix odd and even main numbers. Since many people play birth dates, generally all-odd or all-even numbers, a mixed grouping may give you better odds.

Buy lower number tickets

Lower numbers like those between 1-31 are played less frequently than higher numbers. Trying a ticket with lower figures may give you reduced competition from other players.

Avoid consecutive numbers

Playing consecutive numbers like 12-13-14-15-16 is a common strategy. Try spreading your picks across a wider range of numbers.

Check past winning numbers

Reviewing drawings from the past few weeks can help identify “hot” numbers that get picked more frequently. Past drawings are no guarantee, but riding trends may work in your favor.

Use Quick Pick

Quick Pick random number selections ensure you have a diverse ticket. Avoiding biases, birthdays and other patterns can give your Quick Pick ticket better odds.

Keep in mind these tips may only very slightly change the odds in your favor. The odds are overwhelmingly in favor of the house. But over many, many tickets, these tricks may help you beat the odds…just very slightly.

Pros and Cons of Playing Each Lottery

Here are some key pros and cons for Mega Millions vs Powerball:

Mega Millions

Pros:

• Huge jackpots rivaling Powerball
• Lower taxes withheld in some states
• Can be played in more states than Powerball

Cons:

• Overall lower odds than Powerball
• Less frequent drawings than Powerball
• Fewer prize levels than Powerball

Powerball

Pros:

• Jackpots can surpass $1 billion
• Better overall odds of winning any prize
• More prize levels than Mega Millions
• Drawings held more frequently

Cons:

• Higher withholdings in some states
• Can’t be played in as many areas as Mega Millions

Frequently Asked Questions

Which lottery has better odds of winning?

Powerball has slightly better odds of winning any prize, including the jackpot. Your overall chances are about 1 in 24 for Mega Millions compared to 1 in 24.87 for Powerball. However, the odds are so astronomically high for both games that this is a negligible difference.

What are the odds of winning Mega Millions?

Your odds of winning the Mega Millions jackpot (matching all 5 numbers plus the Mega Ball) are about 1 in 302 million. The odds of winning any Mega Millions prize are 1 in 24.

Has anyone won Mega Millions and Powerball?

Yes, a few incredibly lucky individuals have won big prizes from both Mega Millions and Powerball. For example, in 2018 a New Jersey man won a $273 million Powerball jackpot after winning $291 million in a Mega Millions drawing just two years earlier.

What are the biggest Mega Millions and Powerball jackpots?

The record Mega Millions jackpot was $1.537 billion on October 23, 2018. The biggest Powerball jackpot in history was $1.586 billion on January 13, 2016. Both lottery games are capable of creating billion-dollar prizes if rolls continue for some time.

Can Powerball or Mega Millions jackpots roll over indefinitely?

No, there are limits to how long the jackpots can roll over. For Mega Millions, if there is no winner the jackpot rolls over 25 times. If it still isn’t won, the next jackpot will be the total amount in the prize pool. For Powerball, the jackpot rolls over until it reaches the game’s maximum of $999 million. After that, extra funds roll down into lower-tier prizes.

Which game produces bigger jackpots on average?

Historically, Powerball jackpots tend to grow somewhat larger on average compared to Mega Millions. However, Mega Millions has exceeded the billion-dollar mark as well. Both lottery games frequently set new jackpot records, going back and forth on who holds the current world record.

The Bottom Line

In the end, Mega Millions and Powerball have similar jackpots, odds and gameplay. Your chances of winning big are infinitesimally small trying either game. Some players may have a slight preference based on the number fields, frequency of drawings or number of prize levels.

But whether you decide to play Mega Millions, Powerball or both, you’ll need an immense amount of luck to beat the overwhelming odds. For entertainment and the thrill of a potential life-changing win, both games allow you to dream big – even though your odds of winning remain tiny.