How hard is Mega Millions to win?
Winning the jackpot requires matching all five white balls and the gold Mega Ball. There are 290,472,336 possible jackpot combinations under the current game. One $5 play covers one of those combinations.
Winning any prize is much more common because there are eight additional prize tiers. Taken together, the official overall odds of winning something are 1 in 23.
*California non-jackpot prizes are pari-mutuel and can differ from the fixed prize amounts used elsewhere.
How Mega Millions works
The current version is straightforward once the built-in multiplier is separated from the actual number draw.
Choose five white balls
Pick five different numbers from 1 through 70, or let the terminal choose them for you.
Choose one Mega Ball
Pick one gold Mega Ball number from 1 through 24.
Your play gets a multiplier
A 2X, 3X, 4X, 5X or 10X multiplier is randomly assigned to the play when you buy it.
Match numbers to win
There are nine prize tiers, from matching only the Mega Ball up to matching all six numbers.
Cost of one current Mega Millions play.
Participating jurisdictions: 45 states, Washington, D.C. and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Drawings each week: Tuesday and Friday.
Official drawing time. Ticket sales cutoffs vary by jurisdiction.
Mega Millions prizes and odds
The multiplier is already included in the $5 ticket price. It changes every non-jackpot prize. The jackpot itself is not multiplied.
| Match | Odds | 2X | 3X | 4X | 5X | 10X |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 + Mega Ball | 1 in 290,472,336 | Jackpot | Jackpot | Jackpot | Jackpot | Jackpot |
| 5 white balls | 1 in 12,629,232 | $2,000,000 | $3,000,000 | $4,000,000 | $5,000,000 | $10,000,000 |
| 4 + Mega Ball | 1 in 893,761 | $20,000 | $30,000 | $40,000 | $50,000 | $100,000 |
| 4 white balls | 1 in 38,859 | $1,000 | $1,500 | $2,000 | $2,500 | $5,000 |
| 3 + Mega Ball | 1 in 13,965 | $400 | $600 | $800 | $1,000 | $2,000 |
| 3 white balls | 1 in 607 | $20 | $30 | $40 | $50 | $100 |
| 2 + Mega Ball | 1 in 665 | $20 | $30 | $40 | $50 | $100 |
| 1 + Mega Ball | 1 in 86 | $14 | $21 | $28 | $35 | $70 |
| Mega Ball only | 1 in 35 | $10 | $15 | $20 | $25 | $50 |
California is different
California law uses pari-mutuel payouts for non-jackpot Mega Millions prizes. That means the fixed dollar amounts in this table do not apply there in the same way. California prize amounts depend on sales and the number of winners.
How the Mega Millions multiplier works
You no longer buy a separate Megaplier. Each play receives one multiplier automatically when the ticket is issued.
The multiplier is random
Your ticket is assigned 2X, 3X, 4X, 5X or 10X. On a ticket with several plays, individual plays can have different multipliers.
It affects eight prize tiers
Every prize below the jackpot is multiplied. That is why a Match 5 ticket can be worth anywhere from $2 million to $10 million.
It does not multiply the jackpot
Match all five white balls plus the Mega Ball and you win the jackpot share, regardless of which multiplier appears on the play.
| Multiplier | Official odds of assignment | Example: Match 5 | Example: Mega Ball only |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2X | 1 in 2.13 | $2 million | $10 |
| 3X | 1 in 3.2 | $3 million | $15 |
| 4X | 1 in 8 | $4 million | $20 |
| 5X | 1 in 16 | $5 million | $25 |
| 10X | 1 in 32 | $10 million | $50 |
The jackpot math in plain English
First, there are 12,103,014 different ways to choose five white balls from 70 numbers.
Each one of those white-ball combinations can then be paired with any one of the 24 possible Mega Balls.
That is why one valid play has a 1-in-290,472,336 chance of matching all six numbers.
Buying more plays changes the math — but not by much
Each additional different play covers another valid combination for that drawing. The odds improve in direct proportion to the number of distinct combinations you buy, but the starting number is so large that the jackpot remains extremely unlikely.
1 in 290,472,336 jackpot chance.
About 1 in 58.1 million if all five combinations are different.
About 1 in 29.0 million if all ten combinations are different.
About 1 in 2.9 million — still a very long shot.
More tickets do not make the game predictable
Buying more different combinations gives you more entries in one drawing. It does not make any particular number more likely, and it does not make a future jackpot “due.”
What would that match pay?
Choose what the ticket matched and the multiplier printed on that play. This tool uses the current official fixed prize table.
Odds: 1 in 290,472,336
What changed in Mega Millions?
The current game began with the April 8, 2025 drawing. It was more than a price increase: the ball matrix, prize structure and multiplier system also changed.
*California non-jackpot prizes are pari-mutuel.
How the odds compare
The two biggest U.S. jackpot games have similar jackpot odds, but their ticket prices, number pools, drawing schedules and prize structures are different.
| Feature | Mega Millions | U.S. Powerball |
|---|---|---|
| Base price | $5 | $2 |
| White balls | 5 from 70 | 5 from 69 |
| Special ball | 1 Mega Ball from 24 | 1 Powerball from 26 |
| Jackpot odds | 1 in 290,472,336 | 1 in 292,201,338 |
| Overall prize odds | 1 in 23 | 1 in 24.87 |
| Drawings | Tuesday & Friday | Monday, Wednesday & Saturday |
| Multiplier | Included in $5 price | Power Play is optional for an additional charge |
Does Mega Millions have better jackpot odds?
Numerically, yes — but only slightly. Mega Millions is about 1 in 290.47 million, compared with about 1 in 292.20 million for U.S. Powerball. Both are still extremely difficult jackpots to win, and Mega Millions currently has the higher base ticket price.
What does the advertised jackpot actually mean?
A Mega Millions jackpot winner can choose between the cash option and the annuity option, subject to the claim rules in the jurisdiction where the ticket was purchased.
Annuity option
The annuity consists of one immediate payment followed by 29 annual payments. Each payment is 5% larger than the one before it.
Cash option
The cash option is a single lump-sum payment equal to the cash available in the jackpot prize pool. It is lower than the advertised annuity value.
Jackpot figures are estimates before the drawing
Mega Millions estimates both the cash value and advertised annuity value using projected ticket sales and financial-market rates. The final amount can therefore differ from the earlier estimate.
Four common Mega Millions questions
Are Quick Picks worse?
No. A computer-generated valid combination has the same chance of being drawn as a valid combination you choose yourself.
Are “hot” numbers more likely?
No. A number appearing often in earlier drawings does not increase its probability in the next properly random drawing.
Are overdue numbers due to appear?
No. Random drawings do not keep a schedule that forces a number to catch up because it has not appeared recently.
Do birthdays reduce your chance of winning?
No. The drawing probability is the same. However, number choices concentrated between 1 and 31 can overlap with choices made by other players, which could matter only if a winning prize has to be shared.
Mega Millions availability
47 jurisdictions
Mega Millions is currently sold in 45 states, Washington, D.C. and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Tuesday & Friday
Drawings are held at 11 p.m. Eastern Time in Atlanta, Georgia.
Check your local lottery
Ticket sales deadlines, online purchasing rules, claiming procedures and other requirements vary by jurisdiction.
Keep exploring Mega Millions and U.S. lottery odds
Mega Millions odds FAQs
What are the odds of winning the Mega Millions jackpot?
What are the odds of winning any Mega Millions prize?
How much is a Mega Millions ticket?
How many Mega Millions numbers do I choose?
What does the multiplier do?
Does the multiplier affect the jackpot?
What happens if I match five white balls but miss the Mega Ball?
What happens if I match only the Mega Ball?
Are Quick Pick numbers less likely to win?
Can past Mega Millions results predict the next drawing?
When are Mega Millions drawings?
What changed in Mega Millions in 2025?
Are Mega Millions jackpot odds better than Powerball?
Why are California Mega Millions prizes different?
Research used for this Mega Millions guide
Game rules, prize amounts and odds were checked against current official Mega Millions information. Powerball figures come from the official U.S. Powerball site.
My Lottery Life is an independent information website and is not affiliated with Mega Millions. Lottery games are gambling. Odds do not improve because a jackpot has rolled over, a number has not appeared recently or a particular selection method is used. Set a spending limit and treat lottery play as entertainment. Rules, sales cutoffs and claim procedures can vary by jurisdiction, so check your official state or jurisdiction lottery.