Status update on the giant jackpots: PowerbalI® made it through its latest test and continues to climb, while Mega Millions® will be on the line in its drawing tonight.
This is the fourth time that the huge prizes have simultaneously topped the $600 million mark.
Mega Million is currently the larger of the two, standing at an estimated $893 million annuity, $421.4 million lump-sum amount, for its next drawing tonight. That is the sixth-largest jackpot in Mega Millions history and the 10th-largest U.S. lottery jackpot.
The Powerball jackpot is at an estimated $687 million annuity, $327.3 million lump-sum amount, for its next drawing tomorrow night. While that amount is really up there, it is not yet in the Top 10 list of jackpots in the Powerball game.
The Mega Millions jackpot has been growing for more than three months, while the Powerball jackpot has been growing for more than two months.
The two games’ jackpots also simultaneously topped $600 million in 2018, 2021 and 2023.
Truth vs. Myth: I Have A Lucky Store & a Lucky Day To Buy My Tickets
While that may be something fun to talk about, it’s a myth that there are lucky stores or lucky days to buy a ticket. Every ticket in Powerball or Mega Millions has the same odds of winning, no matter when or where it was purchased.
That’s because the odds in each game are based solely upon the numbers you can play.
The odds of winning the Mega Millions jackpot are about 1 in 302.6 million because that is how many ways the numbers in the game (five numbers from a pool of 1-70 for the white balls, one number from 1-25 for the yellow Mega Ball) can be combined to make a play. When the winning numbers are selected, they’re one of about 302.6 million possibilities. So are the set of numbers in each play.
The same definition applies in Powerball: The odds of winning its jackpot are about 1 in 292.2 million because that is how many ways the numbers available in the game can be combined to make a play.
The Deadline To Buy
Remember that the deadline in Iowa to buy tickets for the Mega Millions and Powerball drawings is 8:59 p.m. on the night of the drawing.
Play Just For Fun
As always, the Iowa Lottery reminds you to enjoy the moment, but remember to set a limit and stay within it for how much you’ll spend when buying tickets. Playing the lottery is something to do just for fun.
We keep these and other Play Smart, Be Informed details on the lottery website to help everyone have an accurate understanding of how the lottery works.
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