Powerball and Mega Millions Jackpot Fast Facts
JPEG and EPS images of Iowa playslips and tickets in the Powerball and Mega Millions games, game logos, and images of people buying tickets are available on the Iowa Lottery Logo
and Game Logos pages.
The giant Mega Millions® and Powerball® jackpots are heading into their next big tests this weekend.
This is just the third time that the jackpots have simultaneously topped $700 million.
The Mega Millions jackpot is currently the bigger of the two, now standing at an estimated $977 million annuity, $467 million lump-sum option for that game's next drawing Friday night. That is the sixth-largest jackpot in Mega Millions history and the 10th largest U.S. lottery jackpot.
And the Powerball jackpot for that game's next drawing Saturday night is an estimated $750 million annuity, $360.8 million lump-sum option. That is the ninth-largest jackpot in Powerball history.
The two games' jackpots also simultaneously topped the $700 million mark in 2021 and 2023.
Lots Of First-Time & Occasional Players Jumping In Now
When the jackpots really get up there like they are now, lots of first-time and occasional players jump in to buy tickets. Office pools and people buying tickets with friends and family also see a spike.
Here is brush-up for those folks who want to play but aren't sure how: The simplest way to buy a ticket is to ask a clerk at a store for an easy-pick play in Powerball or Mega Millions. The lottery terminal will select the numbers for that play and print out the ticket. Generally, at least 90 percent of the tickets purchased in the big-jackpot games today are easy-pick plays.
For more details, the Iowa Lottery keeps how-to-play videos available on its website here:
https://ialottery.com/Pages/Multimedia/HowToPlay.aspx
The lottery also has reminders to help keep lottery group play fun and hassle free available here:
https://ialottery.com/Pages/PlayerSecurity/GroupPlayReminders.aspx
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. If you buy a ticket after that, it will be for an upcoming drawing and you won't be in the running for that night's giant prize.
Play Healthy
The Iowa Lottery reminds players to enjoy the moment, but set a limit and stay within it for how much they'll spend when buying tickets. Playing the lottery is something that should be done just for fun.
The Iowa Lottery keeps these and other "Play Smart, Be Informed" details on its website to help everyone have an accurate understanding of how the lottery works: https://www.ialottery.com/Pages/PlaySmartBeInformed/PlaySmartBeInformed_main.aspx
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