How Lottery Winning Numbers Have Changed Over the Years

Both Powerball and Mega Millions originated from Lotto America and the Big Game. What prompted the name changes, and how have these games changed over time?

Powerball: A Short History of the Game

Powerball began as Lotto America, a multi-state lottery game that started in 1988. It was developed by Dr. Edward. J. Stanek, the president of the Iowa Lottery, and Steve Caputo, officially launching in 1992.

Powerball was the first lottery game to use two drums for drawing numbers, which allowed for more prize levels and improved the overall odds of winning. In 2012, changes to the Powerball format resulted in an increased prize structure and a doubled minimum jackpot amount of $40 million. 

Mega Millions: A Short History of the Game

Mega Millions evolved from the Big Game, which began in 1996. Six states initially participated in the Big Game: Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan and Virginia. The game grew exponentially in 1997, and an additional drawing was added in 1998. More numbers were added to the choices, and a cash payout option was introduced in 1999. New Jersey also joined the game that year.

The Big Game became Mega Millions in 2002, with New York, Washington and Ohio joining in on the fun. Texas joined in 2003, followed by California in 2005, making it the most widely played multi-state lottery game. In 2010, 23 more states joined for a shot at the big prize. Mega Millions is now played in 47 jurisdictions, including 45 states, Washington D.C. and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The Evolution of Lottery Number Ranges

The changes in the number of options to pick from in both games have increased the excitement of participating and affected the overall odds of winning. 

Key Changes to Powerball and Number Ranges for Mega Millions 

Historically, Lotto America (now known as Powerball) required participants to pick seven numbers from a pool of 40 possible choices. To win a prize, players needed to match at least four numbers. During its four-year run, the number of options changed to six from 54 possibilities. When Lotto America became Powerball, players were required to pick five white balls from 45 choices and one red ball from 45. At that time, there was no Power Play option.

Powerball continued to evolve, with several number option changes between 1997 and 2014. On October 7, 2015, the Powerball number range changes were finalized to the current format of picking five white balls from a pool of 69 white balls and one red ball from a set of 26.

The number ranges of Mega Millions have undergone similar changes over the years. When Mega Millions originated as the Big Game in 1996, lotto lovers chose five white balls from a group of 50 options and one gold ball from a field of 25 possibilities. In 2002, after the Big Game officially became Mega Millions, the game changed to selecting five from 52 white balls and one from 52 gold balls. The current format, which involves choosing five from 70 white balls and one from 26 gold balls, was established in October 2017.

How the Number Range Affects Lottery Odds

Changes to the Powerball lottery have changed the odds of winning from one in almost 55 million upon the game's inception in 1992 to one in over 292 million today. While the number of white balls in both games has slowly increased, the number of “special” balls (Mega Ball and Powerball) has decreased over time.

A Timeline of Powerball Number Range Adjustments

These charts offer a summary of the changes in the Powerball and Mega Millions number range over the years, when the changes occurred, and their effects on the overall odds of winning the jackpot.

Powerball

Mega Millions

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