Powerball vs. Mega Millions: Which Should You Play?

Powerball and Mega Millions look nearly identical at a glance — five main numbers plus one bonus ball, drawn twice or three times a week, with jackpots that regularly climb into nine figures. But the details underneath differ enough to matter, depending on what you're actually looking for.

The basic format

Powerball draws five numbers from 1–69 plus a Powerball from 1–26. Mega Millions draws five numbers from 1–70 plus a Mega Ball from 1–24. The main pools are close enough that the core odds end up in a similar neighborhood, but they're not identical.

Odds comparison

Powerball's jackpot odds sit at roughly 1 in 292 million; Mega Millions is close behind at roughly 1 in 290 million. Overall odds of winning any prize are about 1 in 24.9 for Powerball and about 1 in 23 for Mega Millions. Neither game has a meaningfully 'easier' jackpot — the difference is small enough that it shouldn't be the deciding factor for most players.

Where they actually differ

The bigger practical difference is the multiplier. Powerball's Power Play is an optional add-on for an extra cost per ticket, letting you multiply non-jackpot prizes. Mega Millions builds its multiplier into every ticket automatically at no extra cost, boosting every non-jackpot prize — including the second-tier prize for matching all five main numbers, which Powerball's multiplier doesn't touch. Draw nights also differ: Powerball runs Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday; Mega Millions runs Tuesday and Friday.

So which is 'better'?

Neither game is objectively superior — the odds are close enough that the choice mostly comes down to preference: whether you want a built-in multiplier at no extra cost (Mega Millions) or the option to pay for a bigger optional multiplier (Powerball), and which draw nights fit your routine. Plenty of players simply play both.