The Duel of Giants: Mega Millions vs Powerball Lottery

In the United States, the two most colossal lotteries, Mega Millions and Powerball, have captivated millions of dreamers with the promise of unimaginable wealth. With jackpots running into the billions, these lotteries have become part and parcel of American culture, creating intense debates and sky-high expectations. Powerball, in particular, recently established its unparalleled dominance by delivering the top three biggest jackpots in US history. Last month on Wednesday 11 October, a player won the $1.765 billion jackpot. The winner can also take a cash option valued at $774.1 million.

What are the major differences between Mega Millions and Powerball?

Launched in 1992, Powerball is offered in 45 US states, as well as the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands.

Mega Millions started 10 years later in 2002. And Mega Millions is available in 44 US states.

Powerball draws take place on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday nights.

Mega Millions draws are on Tuesday and Friday nights. It is also for this reason that the Powerball jackpot rises faster as they have an extra 1x draw per week.

Biggest jackpots ever won

Powerball has dominated the top 10 biggest cash prizes of big jackpot prizes won. In fact, Powerball now dominates the top 3 biggest lottery jackpots ever won. Mega Millions is now in fourth place.

Top biggest lottery jackpots won

1. The record breaker: $2.04 billion

On 7 November 2022, Powerball broke all records with an awe-inspiring jackpot of $2.04 billion. The golden ticket was sold at Joe's Service Center in Altadena, California. The winner, Edwin Castro, remained relatively private, but his life was undoubtedly changed in an instant. This jackpot not only dwarfs previous records, but also sets the bar high for future lotteries worldwide.

2.Second biggest Powerball jackpot $1.765 billion

This year on Wednesday 12 october the night’s Powerball jackpot worth $1.765 billion. The winning numbers are 24, 52, 40, 22, 64, and a Powerball of 10 for a player in New York. He win this 2th biggest jackpot.

3. Powerball jackpot $1.59 billion

The third-largest jackpot was unique in that it was shared among three winners. The winning lottery tickets were dated 13 January 2016 and were bought in Chino Hills, California; Munford, Tennessee; and Melbourne Beach, Florida. This grand prize was the biggest ever for over five years but was overtaken by even bigger jackpot prizes in 2022 and 2023.

4. Mega Millions biggest jackpot $1.58 billion

Mega Millions' biggest jackpot of $1.58 billion was won on 8 August 2023 in Neptune Beach, Florida. This is the only jackpot close to the other powerball prizes.

Mega Millions' Appeal

Mega Millions, though slightly less lucrative in terms of jackpot size, offers better odds, standing at 1 in 302,575,350. Players select five numbers from a pool of 70 and a Mega Ball number from 25.

Conclusion

Powerball's recent achievements in delivering the three largest jackpots in US history have cemented its reputation as the unrivalled giant of US lotteries. However, Mega Millions still offers fierce competition and should not be dismissed. When will Mega Millions surpass the jackpot and bump Powerball from first place?