Compare · United States
Powerball vs Mega Millions: which to play in the US
Two near-identical-looking US multi-state jackpot games, sold in mostly the same 45 states + DC + USVI. The differences hide in the matrix: Powerball is 5/69 + 1/26, Mega Millions is 5/70 + 1/24, and the 2025 Mega Millions redesign moved the starting jackpot to $50M with a built-in multiplier.
US Powerball
5 of 69 + 1 of 26
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US Mega Millions
5 of 70 + 1 of 24
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Spec comparison
| Field | US Powerball | US Mega Millions |
|---|---|---|
| Format | 5 of 69 + 1 of 26 | 5 of 70 + 1 of 24 |
| Main pick | pick 5 from 69 | pick 5 from 70 |
| Schedule | Mon · Wed · Sat · 22:59 ET | Tue · Fri · 23:00 ET |
| Operator | MUSL (Multi-State Lottery Association) | Mega Millions Consortium |
| Coverage | Multi-state (45 states + DC + PR + USVI) | Multi-state (45 states + DC + USVI) |
| Min jackpot | US$20M | US$50M |
| Largest ever | US$2.04B (Nov 2022) | US$1.653B (Aug 2023) |
Odds at Division 1
Notes
Powerball draws Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday at 22:59 ET. Mega Millions draws Tuesday and Friday at 23:00 ET. Across the calendar that's 3 Powerball nights vs 2 Mega Millions nights per week — Powerball gives roughly 50% more jackpot opportunities at the cost of a slightly tougher matrix (1 in 292.2M vs 1 in 290.5M).
Mega Millions changed its matrix on 2025-04-08: Mega Ball pool dropped from 25 to 24 numbers, base ticket price jumped from $2 to $5, the starting jackpot moved from $20M to $50M, and a 2x–10x multiplier became built in (no separate Megaplier add-on). Powerball kept its $2 base ticket, $20M starting jackpot (with rollovers that have hit US$2.04B), and an optional Power Play multiplier.
Selling jurisdictions: Powerball is sold in 45 states + DC + Puerto Rico + US Virgin Islands (48 jurisdictions). Mega Millions is sold in the same 45 states + DC + USVI but not Puerto Rico (47 jurisdictions). The 5 non-participating states are Alabama, Alaska, Hawaii, Nevada, and Utah — none operate state lotteries.
Headline jackpots are advertised as 30-year structured annuities. The lump-sum cash option is typically 50–55% of the annuity figure. State withholding varies from 0% (FL, NH, SD, TN, TX, WA, WY) to over 10% (NY at 8.82% top, Maryland 8.95%, etc.); federal withholding is 24%.
Anonymous claim: 11 jurisdictions allow claim anonymity at the lottery's discretion (AZ above $100k, DE, GA above $250k, KS, MD, MS, ND, OH above $1M, TX, VA, WV). The remaining 37 require name disclosure on records that may become public.
Practical pick: if maximum jackpot is the draw, Powerball historically rolls higher (US$2.04B vs Mega Millions $1.602B all-time). If jackpot frequency matters, Powerball's three-nights-a-week schedule edges out. If price-per-ticket is the deciding factor, Powerball's $2 entry remains the cheaper line — Mega Millions' $5 entry has a higher floor but each ticket effectively contains the multiplier.