Rules & probabilities
Powerball & Mega Millions rules: play slip, prize tiers and odds
Two lotteries, two matrices: 5 numbers out of 69 plus the Powerball, or 5 out of 70 plus the Mega Ball. Play slip, prize tiers, payout options and exact odds — everything you need to know before you play.
Both matrices at a glance
Same idea — five numbers and one bonus ball — but two distinct matrices: the two games never mix their draws.
Powerball
On a play slip you pick 5 numbers from 1 to 69 and 1 number from 1 to 26 (Powerball). A basic line costs $2, and the Power Play option adds 1 $ to multiply every non-jackpot prize. Draws take place Monday, Wednesday and Saturday, 22 h 59 (heure de l'Est) (Eastern time), and sales usually close about an hour earlier.
Mega Millions
On a play slip you pick 5 numbers from 1 to 70 and 1 number from 1 to 25 (Mega Ball). A basic line costs $2, and the Megaplier option adds 1 $ to multiply every non-jackpot prize. Draws take place Tuesday and Friday, 23 h 00 (heure de l'Est) (Eastern time), and sales usually close about an hour earlier.
The nine prize tiers
Each game spreads prizes over nine tiers: the jackpot, then fixed amounts, from one million dollars down to a simple refund. The details differ between the two games.
Powerball
| Tier | Winning combination | Prize | Probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 matching numbers + Powerball | Jackpot (30-year annuity or cash option) | 1 in 292,201,338 |
| 2 | 5 matching numbers | $1,000,000 | 1 in 11,688,054 |
| 3 | 4 matching numbers + Powerball | $50,000 | 1 in 913,129 |
| 4 | 4 matching numbers | $100 | 1 in 36,525 |
| 5 | 3 matching numbers + Powerball | $100 | 1 in 14,494 |
| 6 | 3 matching numbers | $7 | 1 in 580 |
| 7 | 2 matching numbers + Powerball | $7 | 1 in 701 |
| 8 | 1 matching number + Powerball | $4 | 1 in 92 |
| 9 | No matching number + Powerball | $4 | 1 in 38 |
Mega Millions
| Tier | Winning combination | Prize | Probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 matching numbers + Mega Ball | Jackpot (30-year annuity or cash option) | 1 in 302,575,350 |
| 2 | 5 matching numbers | $1,000,000 | 1 in 12,607,306 |
| 3 | 4 matching numbers + Mega Ball | $10,000 | 1 in 931,001 |
| 4 | 4 matching numbers | $500 | 1 in 38,792 |
| 5 | 3 matching numbers + Mega Ball | $200 | 1 in 14,547 |
| 6 | 3 matching numbers | $10 | 1 in 606 |
| 7 | 2 matching numbers + Mega Ball | $10 | 1 in 693 |
| 8 | 1 matching number + Mega Ball | $4 | 1 in 89 |
| 9 | No matching number + Mega Ball | $2 | 1 in 37 |
30-year annuity or cash option
The jackpot is advertised as a 30-year annuity whose yearly payments grow by roughly 5 %. Winners may instead choose the cash option: about 0.5 % of the advertised amount, paid at once but fully taxable in the winning year.
The choice is made when the prize is claimed and is final. The annuity smooths taxes and protects against spending too fast; the cash option gives you capital you can invest immediately.
Multiplying non-jackpot prizes
The Power Play option (Powerball) and Megaplier (Mega Millions) multiply prizes from tier 2 to tier 9 depending on the drawn multiplier ball: ×2 × 3 × 4 × 5 × 10. Tier 2 stays capped at $2,000,000. The option never applies to the jackpot.
The odds, without approximation
Counting possible lines is plain combinatorics: 5 numbers out of 69 then 1 out of 26 gives 292,201,338 combinations for Powerball; 5 out of 70 then 1 out of 25 gives 302,575,350 for Mega Millions. A single line has exactly one chance in that total: no combination is “better” than another.
Across all tiers, the chance of winning any prize — even the smallest — is about 1 in 25 for Powerball and 1 in 24 for Mega Millions. Every tier except the jackpot pays a fixed amount, listed in the tables above.
How to play, step by step
Pick your game: Powerball or Mega Millions, two separate games with their own jackpot.
Choose 5 numbers in the main field (1 to 69 or 1 to 70), then 1 bonus number (Powerball or Mega Ball).
Add an option if you like: Power Play, Megaplier, Double Play or Multi Match. They boost secondary tiers, never the jackpot.
Buy your ticket before sales close, then check the results and the draw analysis on our Powerball & Mega Millions results page.
Why analyse the statistics?
Statistics do not change the odds of a line, but they help build balanced combinations and avoid the picks most players make (birthdays, sequences, patterns). Discover our eight-rule method, or use the number generator.
Frequently asked questions about the rules
How many numbers do you need to win the jackpot?
Five numbers out of 69 plus the Powerball, or five numbers out of 70 plus the Mega Ball. Jackpot odds are roughly 1 in 292 million and 1 in 302 million.
How is the jackpot paid out?
The winner chooses between a 30-year graduated annuity, with payments rising 5 % a year, or the cash option: about 50 % of the advertised amount, paid at once and taxable in that same year.
What are the Power Play and Megaplier options for?
For $1 extra per line they multiply the prizes of tiers 2 to 9: ×2 to ×10 in Powerball, ×2 to ×5 in Mega Millions. The jackpot itself is never multiplied.
Does this site sell tickets?
No. This is an independent statistical analysis tool. Tickets can only be bought from an authorised retailer or on the official US lottery websites.