US PowerBall Vs MegaMillions – Battle of the Lottery Heavyweights!

US PowerBall vs Mega Millions

• PowerBall Vs MegaMillions – What Are The Differences?
• History
• Draw Dates & Format
• Odds of Winning
• Record Payouts
• PowerBall Vs. MegaMillions – What are the similarities?
• Minimum Top Payout
• Jackpot Payout
• PowerBall Vs MegaMillions – Decide For Yourself With Lottoland!

Comparing the US PowerBall vs MegaMillions means that we are comparing the two undisputed heavyweights of the lottery world. These two American lotteries are responsible for 49 of the 50 biggest lottery payouts of all time – and they are showing no signs of slowing down! So, what exactly are the differences between PowerBall and MegaMillions? And, perhaps more importantly, which is better?

US POWERBALL VS MEGAMILLIONS
	US PowerBall	MegaMillions
First Draw	22 April 1992	17 May 2002
Draw Format	5/69 + 1/26	5/70 + 1/26
Draw Days	Monday, Wednesday and Saturday	Tuesday and Friday
Record Payout	$2.04 Billion (c.R37.5 Billion)	$1.602 Billion (c.R29.4 Billion)
Odds of Winning	292,223.510 to 1	302,575,350 to 1
Special Games	PowerPlay (10x Multiplier)	Megaplier (5x Multiplier)
Bet Price	R70	R70

US PowerBall Vs MegaMillions – What Are The Differences?

Lotteries across the world share many similarities. You choose your numbers, you check the results, and you (hopefully) win a payout. The PowerBall and MegaMillions follow this template, but a few key changes have set them apart from the other lotteries of the world – and each other!

The table above highlights how American super-lotteries differ in several key aspects, including their formats, payouts, bet prices, and respective odds of winnings. Let’s take a closer look at the differences between PowerBall and MegaMillions.

History

The first US PowerBall took place on 22 April 1992, and it was completely different from any lottery that had come before it. Prior to 1992, lotteries used just one drum to hold the balls that would be drawn. However, the US PowerBall made its debut with two drums, which allowed for much more variety when it came to adding prize tiers and increasing the odds of winning.

The two-drum system was a game-changer in 1992 and has since been adopted by some of the world’s biggest lotteries since then, including EuroMillions, EuroJackpot and, of course, MegaMillions.

MegaMillions debuted on 17 May 2002, having previously been known as The Big Game. The lottery followed the trial blazed by PowerBall by adhering to the two-drum system. In a sign of things to come, MegaMillions produced a big winner on its debut as one player took home the entire top payout of $28 million.

Draw Dates & Format

US PowerBall is drawn more frequently than MegaMillions, with draws occurring every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday. MegaMillions, meanwhile, is drawn every Tuesday and Thursday.

The biggest difference between the two draws is the actual format. As previously mentioned, both lotteries utilise two drums for their draw. In PowerBall, players need to first choose five numbers from 1 to 69. They then select their PowerBall from 2 to 25.

If you choose to play MegaMillions, you must first choose five numbers, from 1 to 70. You will also choose one additional number, the MegaBall, from 1 to 26. Two additional numbers (70 and 26) may not seem like a big deal, but they do have a dramatic effect on your odds of winning…

Odds of Winning

The extra numbers included in the MegaMillions draw means that it is more difficult to win the top payout with odds of 302,575,350 to 1. MegaMillions has nine prize tiers, so thankfully, there are easier ways to win! The easiest payout to win is for matching just the MegaBall, with odds of 37 to 1. The range of prizes available means that your odds of winning any prize are quite respectable, 24 to 1.

The US PowerBall is similar to MegaMillions in that it also offers nine tiers of payouts, and the odds of winning any payout are also around 24 to 1. We are more interested in where the lotteries differ, and the most important difference is the PowerBall is the easier lottery to win.

Of course, “easier” does not equal “easy”, and the PowerBall is by no means one of the easiest lotteries to win. The odds of winning the PowerBall are 292,201,338 to 1, significantly shorter than Mega Millions but still higher than our own SA PowerBall, EuroMillions and other famous lotto’s.

Record Payouts

These two lotteries have developed a happy habit of minting billionaires in recent years, with the PowerBall leading the way. The two biggest lottery payouts of all time have come from Powerball, with $2.04 billion paid win in 2022 and $1.765 billion in October 2023 (R38.4 and R33.6 billion, respectively).

That’s not to say that MegaMillions is tiny in comparison! The biggest MegaMillions payout was paid in 2023 when one winner scooped up a $1.602 billion (R30.5 billion) payout. Interestingly, MegaMillions has actually produced more billion-dollar payouts than any other lottery in the world, with five compared to PowerBall’s four.

PowerBall Vs. MegaMillions – What are the similarities?

For all their differences, PowerBall and MegaMillions do share some similarities. As mentioned before, they both use the two-drum system and offer nine different tiers of payouts. The similarities do not end there…

Minimum Top Payout

It is all too easy to focus on the billion-dollar payouts—especially when they seem to be becoming increasingly common! However, it is important to understand that these payouts are the exception and not the norm. To fully understand a lottery's payout structure, you need to know what the guaranteed minimum payout is for matching every number.

MegaMillions and PowerBall are the same in this regard. Both of their top payouts begin at $20 million (R368 Million), with the payout rolling over indefinitely until someone matches the magical 5 + 1.

Jackpot Payout

Whether you win millions or billions, winning the top payout in these lotteries is going to change the way you think about money. If you are in this position, both MegaMillions and PowerBall will present two different ways to receive your payout – and this requires more than a little thought.

Both lotteries offer the payout as either a lump sum or via 30 annuity payments. This is often a difficult choice for winners, as taking the lump sum may mean receiving less money in the long term than the annuity option. 30 years is a long time to wait, though! So, perhaps it isn’t too surprising to learn that most winners choose the cash option, even if it means taking home a little less money.

PowerBall Vs MegaMillions – Decide For Yourself With Lottoland!

There is one final thing that PowerBall and MegaMillions have in common – they are both available on Lottoland! Why not try them for yourselves? You can even try our Mini-Bets option and get involved for a fraction of the price! Whether you decide to bet on one or both of these lotteries, don't forget that you can check historical and the most recent MegaMillions results and US PowerBall results on Lottoland!