What does the extra $3 buy?
| Powerball | Mega Millions | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per play | $2 | $5 |
| Multiplier | Power Play, $1 extra | Included on every play |
| Numbers | 5 of 69, plus 1 of 26 | 5 of 70, plus 1 of 24 |
| Jackpot odds | 1 in 292,201,338 | 1 in 290,472,336 |
| Odds of any prize | 1 in 24.87 | about 1 in 23 |
| Match 5 (second prize) | $1 million, or $2 million with Power Play | $2 million to $10 million |
| Starting jackpot | $20 million | $50 million |
| Drawings | Mon, Wed, Sat, 10:59 p.m. ET | Tue, Fri, 11:00 p.m. ET |
Setting a $5 Mega Millions ticket beside a $2 Powerball ticket isn't quite a fair comparison. Powerball's multiplied version costs $3, so the closer match is $5 against $3.
Which has better odds, Powerball or Mega Millions?
Mega Millions, on both counts, though only slightly. Its jackpot odds are 1 in 290.5 million against Powerball's 1 in 292.2 million, a difference of about 0.6%. The improvement came from cutting the gold Mega Ball pool to 24 numbers in the 2025 overhaul. The chance of winning any prize is about 1 in 23 on Mega Millions and 1 in 24.87 on Powerball.
How do the lower prizes compare?
This is where the two games really differ. The Mega Millions multiplier is always on, and the lowest it can be is 2x, so even the minimum prizes are double the game's base amounts. Here are both prize charts, with Powerball at its base $2 price and Mega Millions at its 2x minimum:
| Match | Powerball ($2) | Mega Millions ($5, at 2x) |
|---|---|---|
| 5 + bonus ball | Jackpot | Jackpot |
| 5 | $1,000,000 | $2,000,000 |
| 4 + bonus ball | $50,000 | $20,000 |
| 4 | $100 | $1,000 |
| 3 + bonus ball | $100 | $400 |
| 3 | $7 | $20 |
| 2 + bonus ball | $7 | $20 |
| 1 + bonus ball | $4 | $14 |
| Bonus ball only | $4 | $10 |
Powerball pays more at one tier: four white balls plus the red Powerball, at $50,000 against Mega Millions' $20,000 minimum. At the other seven non-jackpot tiers the Mega Millions minimum is higher, and the gap grows when a ticket draws 3x, 4x, 5x or 10x. At 10x, matching just the Mega Ball pays $50. In California both games pay every tier pari-mutuel, so these fixed amounts don't apply there.
Power Play narrows the gap if you pay for it. It multiplies Powerball's non-jackpot prizes by 2x to 5x, or up to 10x when the advertised jackpot is $150 million or less, and it turns Match 5 into a flat $2 million.
What else is different between the two games?
The draw nights don't overlap. Mega Millions draws on Tuesday and Friday, and Powerball draws on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday, so neither game draws on Thursday or Sunday. In jurisdictions that offer it, Powerball also has Double Play, a $1 add-on that enters your numbers in a second drawing with a top prize of $10 million. Mega Millions has no equivalent.
Powerball belongs to the Multi-State Lottery Association. Mega Millions is run by a separate consortium of member lotteries, and each game has its own prize pools.
Is the $5 ticket worth it?
That depends on what you're playing for. If you only care about the jackpot, you're paying 2.5 times as much for odds that are 0.6% better. If you play regularly and the smaller prizes you might actually win matter to you, the built-in multiplier is a real improvement: a Mega Ball match pays at least $10 and as much as $50.
The price change didn't alter the basic arithmetic. Both games pay back much less than they take in, and our odds explainer shows what that means for a typical ticket. If you're wondering what happened to the old add-on, see is there still a Megaplier?
Mega Millions vs Powerball price FAQ
Why is Mega Millions more expensive than Powerball?
Mega Millions went to $5 in April 2025 and built a 2x to 10x multiplier into every ticket. Powerball still sells a $2 base ticket and charges $1 extra for its Power Play multiplier.
How much is a Mega Millions ticket now?
$5 per play. There's no cheaper version, and the separate Megaplier add-on was discontinued.
Which game has better jackpot odds?
Mega Millions, slightly: 1 in 290,472,336, against 1 in 292,201,338 for Powerball.
Which game pays more for matching five numbers?
Mega Millions pays at least $2 million for five white balls, and up to $10 million with a 10x multiplier. Powerball pays $1 million, or $2 million with Power Play.
Compare the latest numbers on our Powerball and Mega Millions results pages, or read the longer odds and strategy comparison.
Play responsibly. If gambling stops being fun, the national helpline is 1-800-MY-RESET.
Sources: Mega Millions How to Play and FAQ pages (megamillions.com), Powerball prize chart, FAQ and Double Play pages (powerball.com), Minnesota Lottery announcement of the April 2025 Mega Millions changes.
