The odds of winning the Powerball jackpot are 1 in 292,201,338 per play. The odds of winning any prize are much better, 1 in 24.87, because matching just the red Powerball pays. Here's where those numbers come from, the odds of every prize tier and what does, and doesn't, change them.
Where 292,201,338 comes from
There are 11,238,513 ways to choose 5 white balls from 69, and each can be combined with any of the 26 Powerballs. Multiply them and you get 292,201,338 possible combinations. Only one of them wins the jackpot in each drawing, and every one is equally likely.
To put it in perspective: if you played one line in every drawing, 156 a year, you'd expect to hit the jackpot once in about 1.9 million years. Buying every combination would cost $584,402,676.
The odds of every prize tier
These are the official odds of each tier for a single play:
| Match | Prize | Odds | Roughly |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 + Powerball | Jackpot | 1 in 292,201,338 | 1 in 292 million |
| 5 | $1,000,000 | 1 in 11,688,053.52 | 1 in 11.7 million |
| 4 + Powerball | $50,000 | 1 in 913,129.18 | 1 in 913,000 |
| 4 | $100 | 1 in 36,525.17 | 1 in 36,500 |
| 3 + Powerball | $100 | 1 in 14,494.11 | 1 in 14,500 |
| 3 | $7 | 1 in 579.76 | 1 in 580 |
| 2 + Powerball | $7 | 1 in 701.33 | 1 in 700 |
| 1 + Powerball | $4 | 1 in 91.98 | 1 in 92 |
| Powerball only | $4 | 1 in 38.32 | 1 in 38 |
Add them all up and you get the overall odds of winning something: 1 in 24.87.
Why most prizes come from the Powerball
The red ball is the easiest part to match: there's a 1 in 26 chance your Powerball comes up. That's why the two $4 prizes, Powerball only and 1 + Powerball, account for most winning plays.
If 1 in 26 is the chance of matching the Powerball, why is “Powerball only” 1 in 38? Because that tier also requires none of your five white balls to match. If one of them does, you're in the 1 + Powerball tier instead.
What doesn't change your odds
- Quick Pick or your own numbers: same odds.
- Hot or cold numbers: past drawings don't affect the next one.
- Power Play: it multiplies the prize, not the chance of winning it.
- The size of the jackpot: a $2 billion drawing has exactly the same odds as a $20 million one.
- Where you buy: a “lucky store” sells more winners because it sells more tickets.
What does change them
Only the number of different combinations you play. Two plays give you 2 chances in 292,201,338; a hundred give you 100. Your chance grows in exact proportion to what you spend, so there's no discount for volume. Double Play, where it's offered, is a separate drawing with the same odds: it gives your numbers a second chance at a different set of prizes, for $1 more.
The odds of sharing the jackpot
Your odds of winning don't depend on how many people play, but your odds of sharing do. When the jackpot is huge, many more tickets are sold, and it's more likely that another ticket has the same numbers, especially if they're a popular choice like birthdays or a pattern. Tips to avoid that are in tips for playing Powerball.
Powerball vs. Mega Millions
Mega Millions' jackpot odds are almost the same, 1 in 290,472,336, and its overall odds are slightly better, 1 in 23, but a play costs $5 instead of $2. The two games compared are in Powerball vs. Mega Millions.
What these numbers mean in practice
About half of the money spent on Powerball comes back as prizes, spread over millions of winning plays. Over time, players as a whole get back less than they spend, which is why the lottery is best treated as entertainment with a small, fun chance of something life-changing.
Enjoy the game, set a budget and check your tickets: our ticket checker takes a few seconds.
Frequently asked questions
What are the odds of winning the Powerball jackpot?
1 in 292,201,338 per play: that's the number of possible combinations of 5 white balls from 69 and 1 Powerball from 26.
What are the odds of winning any Powerball prize?
1 in 24.87 per play. The most common prizes are the $4 ones for matching the Powerball alone or with one white ball.
Does Power Play improve my odds?
No. Power Play multiplies non-jackpot prizes but doesn't change the odds of winning them.
Does buying more tickets improve my odds?
Yes, but only in proportion: each extra play adds one more chance in 292,201,338 for the jackpot. Ten plays are still ten chances in 292 million.
Last reviewed: . Independent information: official results are published by the lottery that runs the game.