US Powerball vs USA Mega Millions: Battle of the Giants
Scratch cards and draw games are for kids and elderly people, because those who have high expectations for lottery games are choosing the US Powerball and USA Mega Millions. Huge payouts, nationwide celebrity and a good chance to enter the Hall of Fame as one of the most successful lottery winners are just a few reasons to play these lotteries. Unless you are really strapped for cash, there is no reason for not playing both games, but those who are on a fixed income need to narrow down the search even further.
Make an educated choice
Most lottery players are creatures of habit and once they get hooked on something they never let go, being their favorite numbers or the lottery game itself. That’s why many of those who purchase their first ticket for the US Powerball are unlikely to shift to the USA Mega Millions or the other way around, but it doesn’t have to be like this. If you can’t afford or are unwilling to play both lotteries, at least you owe it to yourself to make an informed decision and choose between these two lotteries after having all the facts.
One criteria is the price of a lottery ticket and in this case, the Mega Millions has the upper hand because a regular ticket costs just one dollar. Those who choose to activate the Megaplier option will pay an additional dollar but they would have second-tier prizes boosted. By comparison, the Powerball ticket costs two dollars and if you want to activate the Power Play option this would set you back one more dollar. At the end of round one we have one clear winner, as the USA Mega Millions is cheaper to play.
Jackpot and lower tier prizes comparison
The USA Mega Millions might be the less expensive lottery to play, but then again what really matters is the return on investment. Those who play these two major lotteries are less concerned about lower tier prizes, although many throw a party and start a shopping spree if they win in the lower category. Back to the jackpots, the USA Mega Millions holds the record for the highest prize ever awarded with a massive $656 million. On the other hand, the next four positions belong to the USA Powerball and over all this lottery has seven of the top 10 jackpots ever awarded.
As jackpots grow, it is only a matter of time until the USA Powerball will secure the first place, as a result of jackpots being fueled by more expensive tickets. Round draw would be a draw, if we were to disregard lower tier prizes, where the Powerball is the uncontested leader. In all categories, it awards prizes that are at least four times higher than the US Mega Millions, with the second-tier prize being $2 million for the Powerball and just $250,000 for its competitor. At this point it is only fair to say that the US Powerball has leveled the score and is back in the race to win this: Battle of the Giants.
The numbers don’t lie
There is always an indissoluble link between risk and reward and it is essential to check out the odds of scooping prizes in each category. Both lottery players have one chance in 175 million to win the jackpot, and one in 4 million to win the second tier prize of the USA Mega Millions. By contrast, matching all regular numbers without the Powerball, hence winning the second best prize is one in 5 million.
Going down this chain, the Mega Millions has a slightly better chance of players winning one of the prizes but the differences are negligible and the Powerball is more generous. The bottom line is that both lotteries carry a significant house edge and players need to be extremely lucky to scoop a major prize.
The verdict
Initially I was inclined to declare the USA Mega Millions winner of this Battle of the Giants due to the fact that the odds of winning are pretty much the same but the ticket costs just half. This is still a powerful argument in favor of this lottery game, but then again, USA Powerball wins the race by a neck due to its superior second-tier prize. $250,000 that the US Mega Millions offers is a nice budget booster, but it is not the life-changing amount that the $2 million Powerball jackpot is.
Check out European lotteries vs American lotteries as well.
