Lottery Odds Calculator
Compare your chances of winning every prize tier for Powerball and Mega Millions.
Powerball
5 from 1–69 + 1 from 1–26 • $2/ticket
| Match | Prize | Odds (1 in ...) |
|---|---|---|
| 5 + PB | Jackpot | 292,201,338 |
| 5 | $1,000,000 | 11,688,054 |
| 4 + PB | $50,000 | 913,129 |
| 4 | $100 | 36,525 |
| 3 + PB | $100 | 14,494 |
| 3 | $7 | 580 |
| 2 + PB | $7 | 701 |
| 1 + PB | $4 | 92 |
| PB only | $4 | 38 |
Overall odds of winning any prize: 1 in 24.9
Mega Millions
5 from 1–70 + 1 from 1–25 • $2/ticket
| Match | Prize | Odds (1 in ...) |
|---|---|---|
| 5 + MB | Jackpot | 302,575,350 |
| 5 | $1,000,000 | 12,607,306 |
| 4 + MB | $10,000 | 931,001 |
| 4 | $500 | 38,792 |
| 3 + MB | $200 | 14,547 |
| 3 | $10 | 606 |
| 2 + MB | $10 | 693 |
| 1 + MB | $4 | 89 |
| MB only | $2 | 37 |
Overall odds of winning any prize: 1 in 24
How Many Tickets for a Given Chance?
See how many tickets you'd need to buy for a target probability of winning the jackpot.
Expected Value Per Ticket
The expected value (EV) represents the average return per ticket based on the odds and prize amounts. A negative EV means you lose money on average.
Powerball
Without jackpot: -$1.75 per $2 ticket
Non-jackpot prizes return ~$0.25 per ticket on average. The jackpot must exceed ~$500M for positive EV.
Mega Millions
Without jackpot: -$1.74 per $2 ticket
Non-jackpot prizes return ~$0.26 per ticket on average. The jackpot must exceed ~$550M for positive EV.
Putting the Odds in Perspective
More likely than winning the Powerball jackpot:
- Being struck by lightning in a year: 1 in 1,222,000
- Being dealt a royal flush in poker: 1 in 649,740
- Becoming a movie star: 1 in 1,505,000
- Finding a four-leaf clover on first try: 1 in 10,000
To visualize 1 in 292 million:
- Filling 2,922 football stadiums — and picking the right seat
- Choosing the right second in a span of 9.3 years
- Buying 2 tickets/week for 2.8 million years
Understanding Lottery Probability
Every lottery drawing is an independent event — previous results have absolutely no effect on future drawings. A number that hasn't been drawn in months is no more “due” than one drawn last week. Each ticket has the exact same odds regardless of which numbers you choose or how many tickets have been sold.
The lottery is designed so that, on average, players lose money. The total prize pool is always less than total ticket revenue — that's how lotteries fund state programs. Play for fun, not as a financial strategy.