The prizes have grown so massive because it has been months since anyone has matched all six numbers and won either jackpot. The odds of winning it all are incredibly small, at one in 292.2 million for Powerball and one in 302.5 million for Mega Millions.
The jackpots listed by the lotteries are for winners who opt to be paid through an annuity over 30 years. Nearly all winners take the cash option, which for Powerball would be an estimated $411.4 million and for Mega Millions would be $550.6 million.
Mega Millions and Powerball are both played in 45 states as well as Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Powerball also is offered in Puerto Rico.
Mega Millions lottery tickets, center, and Power Ball tickets, right, are seen with other lottery tickets at a store Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2021, in Orlando, Fla. Lottery players will have a shot Friday night at the fifth-largest jackpot in U.S. history after no tickets matched all the numbers in the latest Mega Millions drawing. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Credit: John Raoux
Credit: John Raoux
A clerk takes an order for lottery tickets next to a sign reminding customers to play responsibly, Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2021, in Orlando, Fla. Lottery players will have a shot Friday night at the fifth-largest jackpot in U.S. history after no tickets matched all the numbers in the latest Mega Millions drawing. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Credit: John Raoux
Credit: John Raoux
A customer shows off a Mega Millions lottery ticket after purchasing it, Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2021, in Orlando, Fla. Lottery players will have a shot Friday night at the fifth-largest jackpot in U.S. history after no tickets matched all the numbers in the latest Mega Millions drawing. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Credit: John Raoux
Credit: John Raoux
Powerball and Mega Millions lottery tickets are shown at a retailer, Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2021, in Surfside, Fla. Lottery players will have a shot Friday night at the fifth-largest jackpot in U.S. history after no tickets matched all the numbers in the latest Mega Millions drawing. The big prize for Powerball, the other national lottery game, is $550 million for Wednesday night's drawing. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
Credit: Wilfredo Lee
Credit: Wilfredo Lee
Powerball and Mega Millions lottery tickets are shown at a retailer, Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2021, in Surfside, Fla. Lottery players will have a shot Friday night at the fifth-largest jackpot in U.S. history after no tickets matched all the numbers in the latest Mega Millions drawing. The big prize for Powerball, the other national lottery game, is $550 million for Wednesday night's drawing. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
Credit: Wilfredo Lee
Credit: Wilfredo Lee
Blank forms for the Mega Millions lottery sit in a bin at a local grocery store, Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2021, in Des Moines, Iowa. Lottery players have a chance to win the largest jackpots in nearly two years as Tuesday's Mega Millions has grown to an estimated $625 million and Wednesday's Powerball to an estimated $550 million. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
Credit: Charlie Neibergall
Credit: Charlie Neibergall
Hardik Kalra, of Des Moines, Iowa, poses for a photo with his Mega Millions and Powerball lottery tickets, Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2021, in Des Moines, Iowa. Lottery players have a chance to win the largest jackpots in nearly two years as Tuesday's Mega Millions has grown to an estimated $625 million and Wednesday's Powerball to an estimated $550 million. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
Credit: Charlie Neibergall
Credit: Charlie Neibergall
