Powerball vs Mega Millions price, matrix, and odds
Applies to: United States. Rules elsewhere differ.
Operator figures
Powerball and Mega Millions are separate US draw games. They do not share a number matrix, a ticket price, or a draw calendar. This table uses figures the operators and participating state lotteries published. Checked 15 October 2026.
| Powerball | Mega Millions | |
|---|---|---|
| Matrix | 5 numbers from 1 to 69, plus 1 number from 1 to 26 | 5 numbers from 1 to 70, plus 1 Mega Ball from 1 to 24 |
| Base price | $2 per play | $5 per play |
| Draw days | Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday | Tuesday and Friday |
| Published jackpot odds | 1 in 292,201,338 | 1 in 290,472,336 |
| Published odds of any prize | about 1 in 24.9 | 1 in 23.07 |
What the price includes
Powerball costs $2 per play. Power Play is an optional extra $1 and multiplies non-jackpot prizes. It does not apply to the jackpot. In Idaho and Montana, Power Play is bundled and the minimum price is $3 per play. Double Play is a separate optional $1 drawing.
Mega Millions costs $5 per play. That price includes a multiplier of 2x, 3x, 4x, 5x, or 10x on non-jackpot prizes. The current matrix, the $5 price, and the included multiplier apply to drawings from 8 April 2025. In California, non-jackpot prizes are pari-mutuel and can differ from the fixed amounts other states publish.
How to read the odds
These jackpot odds are the published chance that one play matches every number. Mega Millions publishes 1 in 290,472,336. State lotteries publish 1 in 292,201,338 for the current Powerball matrix. The smaller Mega Millions figure is still hundreds of millions to one. It is not a prediction, and a ticket in each game does not combine the two drawings into one probability.
The "any prize" row counts the smallest tiers as well as the jackpot. It answers a different question from the jackpot odds.
Results for each game
Latest published draws are on the Powerball results and Mega Millions results pages. LottoRead can store a scanned ticket for a supported game and compare it with draws the app already has. The operator confirms prizes and deadlines.
Sources
Primary sources for the rules, prizes and figures above. Where they and this article disagree, they are correct.
- Powerball home — Powerball (retrieved 2026-10-15)
- Powerball prizes and odds — Delaware Lottery (retrieved 2026-10-15)
- How to play Mega Millions — Mega Millions (retrieved 2026-10-15)
- Mega Millions prize matrix effective 8 April 2025 — Mega Millions (retrieved 2026-10-15)
- Mega Millions prize structure — Maryland Lottery (retrieved 2026-10-15)
Lottoread is an independent app. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or operated by any lottery operator or regulator, and it does not sell tickets. Official rules, prizes and deadlines are set by the operator for your jurisdiction and take precedence over anything published here.
