Mega Millions and Powerball are the two biggest lottery games in the United States, and both regularly produce jackpots in the hundreds of millions of dollars. They look similar at a glance — pick a set of main numbers plus one extra ball — but the details differ enough to matter if you're deciding which draw to follow.
The basic format
Both games ask players to choose five main numbers plus one additional special-ball number (the Mega Ball for Mega Millions, the Powerball for Powerball). Matching all six numbers wins the jackpot; matching fewer numbers wins smaller fixed or tiered prizes.
Number ranges and odds
The two games use different ranges for their main numbers and special ball, which is why their odds of winning the jackpot aren't identical. In general, both sit in the same rough "one in several hundred million" territory for the top prize — among the longest odds of any mainstream lottery — which is also part of why their jackpots can roll over for so long and grow so large. See our lottery odds explainer for how these figures are actually calculated.
Draw days
The two lotteries are deliberately scheduled on different days of the week, which is why serious followers often track both — between them, there's a major U.S. jackpot draw happening on most days. Check each lottery's own page on this site under Results for the current draw schedule.
Which one should you follow?
Neither game offers better real-world odds than the other in any meaningful sense — both are long-shot draws by design. The practical differences come down to draw timing, current jackpot size, and personal preference. Many players simply follow whichever one currently has the bigger jackpot on offer.