Mega BILLIONS: Mega Millions, Powerball Jackpots Both Climb Higher
Jackpot Buzz Builds Across The Country
Digital images of the Mega Millions and Powerball logos in JPEG and EPS formats are available.
CLIVE, Iowa - Maybe the name should be changed to Mega Billions! Strong sales in Iowa and across the country have pushed the Mega Millions jackpot even further into record territory as lottery buzz continues to build. Not to be left out, the Powerball jackpot also has been raised.
The Mega Millions® jackpot has been raised to an estimated $1 billion annuity, $565.6 million lump-sum option for Friday's drawing. The Powerball jackpot also continues to climb, and has been raised to an estimated $470 million annuity, $268.6 million lump-sum option for Saturday's drawing.
The Mega Millions jackpot is now the largest prize offered in the history of that game, eclipsing the previous Mega Millions record of $656 million, which was split in March 2012 by three tickets purchased in Kansas, Illinois and Maryland. The current Mega Millions jackpot is second only to the world-record Powerball jackpot of nearly $1.6 billion that was split by three tickets in California, Florida and Tennessee in January 2016.
The Powerball® jackpot currently ranks at No. 8 on the list of that game's biggest jackpots and No. 14 among the largest jackpots in the United States.
Humans Who Procrastinate
Human beings procrastinate about lots of things, and sales figures show that applies to lottery tickets, too. The day of the drawing in Mega Millions and Powerball always sees the highest sales, and in Iowa, the busiest stretch is generally from about 4 to 6 p.m. that day as a lot of folks leave work and run errands.
So if you're looking to avoid lines to buy tickets for the big jackpots, plan accordingly. Remember that the deadline in Iowa to buy tickets for Friday's Mega Millions drawing is 8:59 p.m. that night, while the same deadline on Saturday applies to that night's Powerball drawing. If you buy a ticket after the deadline, it will be for an upcoming drawing, and you would not be in the running for that night's giant prize.
Please Play Responsibly
The Iowa Lottery continuously stresses responsible play, and is upping the ante on those reminders this week. It only takes one ticket to have a shot at the jackpot.
"Have fun playing the lottery, and remember that it's just for entertainment," Iowa Lottery CEO Terry Rich said. "There is no guarantee you will win. Please remember to play with your head, not over your head."
Iowa Tickets That Came Close
In Iowa, players won more than 19,000 prizes ranging from $4 up to $50,000 in Wednesday's Powerball drawing. One ticket came close to having at least a share of that night's jackpot, winning a prize of $50,000 by matching four of the first five numbers and the Powerball. It was purchased at the Petro Mart, 1961 U.S. Highway 30 in Missouri Valley.
The winning numbers in Wednesday's Powerball drawing were: 3-57-64-68-69 and Powerball 15. The Power Play number was 3.
And in Mega Millions, Iowa players won more than 28,000 prizes ranging from $2 up to $10,000 in Tuesday's drawing. Two Iowa tickets were just one number away from having at least a share of that night's jackpot. They won prizes of $10,000 each by matching four of the first five numbers and the Mega Ball. Those tickets were purchased at the Big 10 Mart, 121 S. 14th Ave. in Eldridge; and Fast Avenue One Stop, 2111 Park Ave. in Muscatine.
The winning numbers in Tuesday's Mega Millions drawing were: 3-45-49-61-69 and Mega Ball 9. The Megaplier number was 5.
Easy Pick vs. Manual Play
One of the biggest debates when it comes to big-jackpot games focuses on the types of plays that can be made - easy pick vs. manual play - and whether one or the other has a better chance of winning. The quick answer is that the odds of winning are the same for any ticket purchased in the games. But because they are so convenient to buy, easy picks make up the bulk of the plays.
When players buy an easy pick play, the computer in the lottery terminal randomly chooses the numbers that will be printed on the ticket. When players buy a manual play, they choose their own numbers.
More than 89 percent of the plays purchased in Iowa for Wednesday's Powerball drawing were easy picks. And easy picks accounted for more than 93 percent of the Iowa plays purchased for Tuesday's Mega Millions drawing.
Jackpots Won This Year
The Mega Millions jackpot has been growing since it was last won in late July, while the Powerball jackpot has been growing since mid-August. The Mega Millions jackpot has been won four times so far in 2018, while the Powerball jackpot has been won six times this year.
Could One Person Win Both?
We've emphasized this point before, but we'll do it again now: Would it be possible for one person to win the jackpots in both Mega Millions and Powerball? The short answer is: Yes. But the odds of that happening are extremely long.
It takes long odds to produce big jackpots. The odds of winning the jackpot in Mega Millions are about 1 in 302.6 million. The odds of winning the jackpot in Powerball are about 1 in 292.2 million. (The odds are based upon the total number of combinations available to play in each game.)
To calculate the odds of winning both jackpots, you multiply 302.6 million by 292.2 million. The answer involves a lot of zeroes: about 1 in 88 quadrillion (that's 88,000,000,000,000,000).
What's Behind The Giant Numbers?
Prior to January 2010, Mega Millions and Powerball were sold by separate groups of lotteries. U.S. lottery directors reached an agreement back then that allowed both games to be sold by all lotteries. With more states selling a particular game, there is a bigger population base playing it, which produces higher sales overall and helps the jackpot climb higher.
Compare and Contrast
Powerball jackpots start at $40 million and grow until they're won. You choose five numbers from a pool of 69 and another number - the Powerball - from a separate pool of 26. If you match all six numbers, you win the jackpot, and there also are eight other prize levels you can win. Plays cost $2 and drawings are at 9:59 p.m. on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
Mega Millions jackpots also start at $40 million and grow until they're won. Players in the game choose five numbers from a pool of 70 and another number - the Mega Ball® - from a separate pool of 25 numbers. If you match all six numbers, you win the jackpot, and there are eight other prize levels you can win. Tickets cost $2 and drawings are at 10 p.m. on Tuesdays and Fridays.
Both games have a multiplier feature that costs an extra $1 per play and multiplies any non-jackpot prize won. Jackpot winners in both games can choose to receive their prize in annuitized payments over time or in a one-time, lump-sum payment.
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