Name a better duo. (We'll wait. 🤓)
Powerball and Mega Millions are both fun and easy to play – with BIG prizes up for grabs. These two lotteries are played in most states and offer large jackpots that can change the lives of the lucky winners. Here's everything you need to know about Powerball vs Mega Millions to help you decide which one to play. Hop into the Jackpocket app and try your luck!
| Powerball | Mega Millions | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting prize | $20 million | $20 million |
| Record prize | $2.04 billion | $1.537 billion |
| Overall odds of winning | 1 in 24.9 | 1 in 24 |
| Drawings per week | 3 | 2 |
| Draw days | Monday, Wednesday, Saturday | Tuesday, Friday |
| Price per ticket | $2 | $2 |
| Ticket add-ons (Multiplier) | Power Play ($1) | Megaplier ($1) |
| Highest Multiplier | 10x | 5x |
| How to play |
Select 5 numbers from 1–69 Select 1 Powerball number from 1–26 |
Select 5 numbers from 1–70 Select 1 Mega Ball number from 1–25. |
| Available in | 45 states plus Washington DC, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands | 45 states plus Washington DC, and the Virgin Islands |
| State with most grand prize wins | Indiana | New York |
Powerball
Powerball is a lottery game that started in 1992 and is played in 45 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands. The game is played by selecting five white balls out of 69 and one red ball out of 26. You can choose your own lucky numbers or go with a randomly-generated Quick Pick.
The jackpot starts at $20 million and increases with each draw until there is a winner. The largest Powerball jackpot ever was $2.04 billion, which was won by a lucky player in California in 2022.
One of the things that make Powerball so popular is its huge jackpots. With a minimum jackpot of $20 million, players have a chance to win a life-changing amount of money. Powerball also offers nine different prize levels, which means there are more chances to win something, even if you don't hit the jackpot.
Another advantage of Powerball is the fact that it is played in more jurisdictions than Mega Millions. This means that more people can participate in the game and the jackpots can grow faster, leading to even bigger payouts. Learn more in our how to play Powerball guide.
Get your Powerball tickets in person at your local official participating lottery retailers. In participating states, you may also order Powerball tickets online with the Jackpocket lottery app that makes it convenient for you to play whenever you feel a lucky moment. The Jackpocket app also lets you join a Powerball Pool with others in your state (not available in New York or New Jersey) or create your own Lottery Pool for your lucky friends, family or co-workers. Conveniently order online and Jackpocket will pick up your tickets for you.
🟦 TIP: Get your lottery ticket from the couch, gym, or break room when you order your ticket on Jackpocket lottery app. Easy peasy.
Mega Millions
Mega Millions is another popular lottery game that started in 1996 and is played in 45 states, Washington, D.C., and the US Virgin Islands. The game is played by selecting five white balls out of 70 and one gold ball out of 25. Just like Powerball, you choose your own numbers or play a random Quick Pick.
The jackpot starts at $20 million and increases with each draw until there is a winner. The largest Mega Millions jackpot ever was $1.537 billion, which was won by a single lucky player in 2018.
Like Powerball, Mega Millions offers huge jackpots that can change the lives of the winners. It also offers nine different prize levels, which means there are more chances to win something. Another advantage of Mega Millions is that it offers a Megaplier option, which can multiply the winnings of the players who match some of the winning numbers (but not all of them) by up to 5x. Learn more in our how to play Mega Millions guide.
Mega Millions tickets can also be ordered online with a Jackpocket lottery app in participating states. Set up automatic orders so you never miss out on getting your tickets when the jackpot hits a certain threshold, such as $300 million! Mega Millions also has Pools available where you can join others in your state or create your own. Lottery lovers can also get their Powerball tickets from brick-and-mortar retailers, you can pick your own numbers or use the Quick Pick option to let the computer randomly draw numbers for you.
Powerball vs Mega Millions
When it comes to choosing between Powerball and Mega Millions, there are several factors to consider.
Record Jackpots
“Millions” may be in the name of the game, but the biggest Mega Millions win of all time totaled $1.537 billion. One lucky lotto player from the small town of Simpson, South Carolina won it in October 2018. Here are the biggest Mega Millions winners of all time.
The biggest Powerball prize of all time clocked in at $2.04 billion. That's a world record! A single ticket in California won the whole shebang on November 7, 2022. Meet the all-time biggest Powerball winners.
Odds of Winning
The odds of winning the jackpot in Powerball are 1 in 292,201,338, while the odds of winning the jackpot in Mega Millions are 1 in 302,575,350. This means that the odds of winning the jackpot are slightly better in Powerball, but the difference between Powerball and Mega Millions is not significant enough to make a significant impact on your decision. However, the odds of winning any prize in Mega Millions are slightly better than in Powerball, which means that players have a better chance of winning something in Mega Millions.
The overall odds of winning any Powerball prize: 1 in 24.9. Here are all the ways you can win:
| Match | Win | Odds |
|---|---|---|
| 5 numbers + Powerball | Jackpot | 1 in 292,201,338 |
| 5 numbers | $1,000,000 | 1 in 11,688,053 |
| 4 numbers + Powerball | $50,000 | 1 in 913,129 |
| 4 numbers | $100 | 11 in 36,525.17 |
| 3 numbers + Powerball | $100 | 1 in 14,494.11 |
| 3 numbers | $7 | 1 in 579.76 |
| 2 numbers + Powerball | $7 | 11 in 701.33 |
| 1 number + Powerball | $4 | 1 in 91.98 |
| Powerball only | $4 | 1 in 38.32 |
The overall odds of winning any Mega Millions prize: 1 in 24. Here are all the ways to win:
| Match | Win | Odds |
|---|---|---|
| 5 numbers + Mega Ball | Jackpot | 1 in 302,575,350 |
| 5 numbers | $1,000,000 | 1 in 12,607,306 |
| 4 numbers + Mega Ball | $10,000 | 1 in 931,001 |
| 4 numbers | $500 | 1 in 38,792 |
| 3 numbers + Mega Ball | $200 | 1 in 14,547 |
| 3 numbers | $10 | 1 in 606 |
| 2 numbers + Mega Ball | $10 | 1 in 693 |
| 1 number + Mega Ball | $4 | 1 in 89 |
| Mega Ball | $2 | 1 in 37 |
Multiplers: Power Play vs Megaplier
For an extra $1 per game, you can add the multiplier feature to your ticket. In Powerball, the multiplier is called Power Play. In Mega Millions, the multiplier is called Megaplier. The “multiplier” number is drawn and announced along with the winning numbers and can multiply your prize — not including the jackpot — by up to ten times (Powerball) or 5 times (Mega Millions). The multiplier in Powerball goes up to 10 for jackpots $15o million or less, which is definitely a plus!
Number of States
As mentioned earlier, Powerball is played in more states than Mega Millions. This means that there are more people participating in the game and the jackpots. Each game is played in 45 states, Washington DC, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, but Powerball is also available in Puerto Rico.
The difference between Powerball and Mega Millions: A summary
Still undecided on which game is for you? Let’s break it down:
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Cost of ticket: Same for both
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Better odds of hitting the jackpot: Powerball
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Better overall odds of winning any prize: Mega Millions
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Which is available in more states: Powerball
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Which has had the largest jackpot: Powerball
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Which has more drawings: Powerball
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Which has better odds for a $1 million prize: Powerball
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Which has better odds of winning with one ball drawn: Mega Millions
FAQS
When are the Powerball and Mega Millions drawings?
Powerball draws 3 times a week on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday, at 10:59 PM ET.
Mega Millions draws 2 times a week on Tuesday and Friday, at 11:00 PM ET.
What numbers do you pick for Powerball and Mega Millions?
Powerball: Select 5 regular numbers from 1–69 and 1 red Powerball number from 1–26.
Mega Millions: Select 5 regular numbers from 1–70 and 1 Mega Ball number from 1–25.
Looking for some inspiration in picking your lucky numbers? A good place to start is the luckiest lotto numbers of 2022.
Powerball vs Mega Millions: Where can I play?
Powerball is offered in 45 states plus Washington, DC and the Virgin Islands.
Mega Millions is offered in 45 states plus Washington, DC, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.
If you’re located in a Jackpocket state, you can use the Jackpocket app to order Powerball & Mega Millions tickets from anywhere in your state.
What’s the difference between Powerball and Mega Millions?
Essentially, these games are very similar. They both require a draw of five white balls plus a “bonus” ball (the Powerball in Powerball and the Mega Ball in Mega Millions) to win the grand prize. The major difference between these two games is the number of balls available (70 for Mega Millions and 69 for Powerball for white, and 25 vs 26 for the “bonus” ball).
Keep yourself updated on these popular games, and check out our blog on the latest Powerball and Mega Million game changes!
Where can I find the winning Powerball or Mega Millions numbers?
Players across the country can use the Jackpocket app to get winning numbers and lottery results for all lottery games in the US! Download Jackpocket to get started.
