Two Giant Games, One Big Question
Powerball and Mega Millions are the two largest multi-state lottery games in the United States. Both are available in 45 states plus Washington D.C., and both regularly produce jackpots in the hundreds of millions. But they are not identical. Understanding the differences can help you decide where to put your dollars, or at least make an informed choice rather than a random one.
For deeper dives into each game, see our dedicated guides for Powerball and Mega Millions.
Rules and Number Matrices
Powerball: Choose 5 main numbers from 1-69 and 1 Powerball from 1-26. Drawings are Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday at 10:59 PM ET. Tickets cost $2.
Mega Millions: Choose 5 main numbers from 1-70 and 1 Mega Ball from 1-25. Drawings are Tuesday and Friday at 11:00 PM ET. Tickets cost $2.
The number pools are similar but not identical. Powerball has a slightly smaller main pool (69 vs. 70) but a slightly larger bonus pool (26 vs. 25). These small differences affect the overall odds.
Odds Comparison
The jackpot odds tell the core story:
- Powerball jackpot: 1 in 292,201,338
- Mega Millions jackpot: 1 in 302,575,350
Powerball has slightly better jackpot odds, though both are extraordinarily long shots. For the smallest prizes, the odds also differ slightly. Powerball awards $4 for matching just the Powerball (1 in 38.32), while Mega Millions awards $2 for matching just the Mega Ball (1 in 37). Overall, Powerball has 9 prize tiers and Mega Millions also has 9 prize tiers.
Multiplier Options
Power Play (Powerball): For an extra $1, non-jackpot prizes are multiplied by 2x, 3x, 4x, 5x, or 10x (10x only available when the jackpot is under $150 million). The second-tier $1 million prize is always doubled to $2 million with Power Play.
Megaplier (Mega Millions): For an extra $1, non-jackpot prizes are multiplied by 2x, 3x, 4x, or 5x. There is no 10x option. The second-tier $1 million prize becomes $2, $3, $4, or $5 million depending on the Megaplier drawn.
The Megaplier can boost second-tier prizes higher than Power Play in some cases, but Power Play offers the rare 10x multiplier on lower-tier prizes.
Jackpot Sizes and Records
Both games have produced jackpots exceeding $1 billion. The largest Powerball jackpot on record was $2.04 billion in November 2022. The largest Mega Millions jackpot reached $1.602 billion in August 2023. On average, jackpots in both games start at $20 million and grow based on sales and roll patterns.
Because Powerball has three drawings per week (compared to two for Mega Millions), its jackpots can grow faster during hot streaks. However, more frequent drawings also mean more chances for someone to win, which can reset the jackpot more often.
Drawing Schedules
Having different drawing nights is actually an advantage for players who enjoy both games. Powerball draws on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday. Mega Millions draws on Tuesday and Friday. This means you can play a major jackpot game five nights a week without any overlap.
Which Should You Play?
If you are strictly optimizing for jackpot odds, Powerball has a slight mathematical edge. If you value higher potential multipliers on second-tier prizes, Mega Millions with Megaplier is worth considering. In practice, many players buy tickets for whichever game has the larger current jackpot, which is a perfectly reasonable approach.
You can track current jackpots and analyze number patterns for both games on our state pages for California, New York, Texas, and Florida. Use our hot and cold tools to explore recent trends for either game.