Compare Lottery Games
Side-by-side comparison of Powerball and Mega Millions odds, expected value, and payouts. Select your state for tax-adjusted calculations.
Powerball vs Mega Millions
Side-by-side comparison of game structure, odds, and expected value. Enter jackpot amounts and select your state for tax-adjusted EV.
$
$300.0M advertised
$
$250.0M advertised
Best Value
Powerball
EV / Ticket
-$1.37
Jackpot Odds
1 in 292,201,338
Any-Prize Odds
1 in 25
Breakeven
$834.2M
Mega Millions
EV / Ticket
-$1.48
Jackpot Odds
1 in 302,575,350
Any-Prize Odds
1 in 24
Breakeven
$885.8M
Head-to-Head Comparison
| Metric | Powerball | Mega Millions |
|---|---|---|
| Ticket Price | $2 | $2 |
| Main Pool | 5/69 | 5/70 |
| Bonus Pool | 1/26 | 1/25 |
| Jackpot Odds | 1 in 292,201,338 | 1 in 302,575,350 |
| Any-Prize Odds | 1 in 25 | 1 in 24 |
| Second Prize | $1.0M | $1.0M |
| Prize Tiers | 9 tiers | 9 tiers |
| EV per $2 Ticket | -$1.37 | -$1.48 |
Highlighted cell = advantage for that game
Prize Structure Comparison
| Powerball | Prize | Mega Millions |
|---|---|---|
| 5 + PBJP | $300.0Mvs$250.0M | 5 + MBJP |
| 5 | $1.0Mvs$1.0M | 5 |
| 4 + PB | $50,000vs$10,000 | 4 + MB |
| 4 | $100vs$500 | 4 |
| 3 + PB | $100vs$200 | 3 + MB |
| 3 | $7vs$10 | 3 |
| 2 + PB | $7vs$10 | 2 + MB |
| 1 + PB | $4vs$4 | 1 + MB |
| PB only | $4vs$2 | MB only |
Looking for better expected value?
Both lotteries carry deeply negative expected value. Prediction markets offer fundamentally better odds. Track real-time prices on our live dashboard.