Monday’s Powerball jackpot is an estimated $900 million, the game’s third-largest jackpot ever. Only two Powerball winners have ever won a jackpot over $1 billion, and if nobody wins it this week, the prize could eclipse the $1 billion mark.
The Powerball drawing won’t be the only opportunity for Michiganders to win big this week, as Tuesday night’s Mega Millions jackpot is an estimated $640 million. Powerball and Mega Millions are two of the popular draw games available through the Michigan Lottery.
Michigan customers can purchase tickets at lottery retailers across the state or online. One lucky Michigan resident won $100,000 in Saturday’s Powerball drawing through a ticket purchased online, a nice consolation prize despite coming up shy of winning the jackpot.
Long odds of winning jackpot
Playing Powerball and Mega Millions is quite simple, as a customer’s lottery tickets just need to match a series of five numbers plus a sixth and final ball to win the jackpot. In Powerball drawings, if a customer’s ticket matches the first five numbers but not the Powerball, they receive a $1 million prize. Other smaller prizes are available.
For Mega Millions, a customer’s ticket must match the first five numbers and a sixth ball to win the jackpot. Matching the first five numbers drawn results in a $1 million prize.
While the games aren’t complicated – customers buy tickets and check to see if their numbers match – the odds of winning the jackpot are long. The chances of winning the Powerball jackpot are 1 in 292.2 million, while the odds of winning the Mega Millions jackpot are even longer at 302.6 million.
You're more likely to be killed by a vending machine or hit by a meteorite than win the lottery, but that’s not stopping Americans from buying tickets for a chance at the third highest Powerball jackpot in history. https://t.co/oihrSKbjhm pic.twitter.com/dxa7ZzNHn1
— CBS Evening News (@CBSEveningNews) July 16, 2023
Given those long odds, it’s been more than two years since a Michigan customer took home either lottery jackpot prize. An Oakland lottery club won a $1.05 billion Mega Millions prize in 2021, which is the largest lottery win ever recorded in Michigan.
Powerball drawings occur every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday night. Mega Millions drawings take place on Tuesday and Friday nights.
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