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Lottery Odds Calculator

Calculate the odds of winning any lottery - jackpot odds and the odds of every match for Powerball, Mega Millions, EuroMillions, Lotto 6/49 or a custom format

[ Lottery Odds Calculator - Quick Summary ]

What: Exact odds of winning a lottery: the jackpot and every possible match (for example 4 + Powerball), for 19 preset games or any format you enter.

How: Choose a game or enter how many numbers are drawn from which pool, plus the bonus pool if your lottery has one. The odds are computed with exact combinatorics, not simulation.

Example: Powerball (5/69 + 1/26): jackpot 1 in 292,201,338, Powerball only 1 in 38.32.

Important: No number choice changes these odds. Play responsibly - for help with problem gambling, call 1-800-GAMBLER.

Our free lottery odds calculator shows your exact odds of winning the lottery - the jackpot and every prize level - for Powerball, Mega Millions, EuroMillions, Lotto 6/49 and any other game. Pick a lottery above or enter its format to see the numbers.

How to Calculate Lottery Odds

Lottery odds come from counting combinations. If a lottery draws k numbers from a pool of n, the number of possible tickets is "n choose k":

C(n, k) = n! / (k! × (n - k)!)
Powerball white balls: C(69, 5) = 11,238,513
Powerball: 11,238,513 × 26 = 292,201,338

When there is a separate bonus pool (Powerball, Mega Ball, Lucky Stars), you multiply the two counts, which is why games with a bonus ball have such long jackpot odds. For a lower prize - matching m of your numbers - the calculator counts the ways to pick m winning numbers and k - m losing ones: C(k, m) × C(n - k, k - m), divided by C(n, k).

Powerball Odds for Every Prize

What the calculator shows for Powerball (5/69 + 1/26). These match the official odds published by the Multi-State Lottery Association:

Match Odds
5 + Powerball (jackpot)1 in 292,201,338
51 in 11,688,053.52
4 + Powerball1 in 913,129.18
41 in 36,525.17
3 + Powerball1 in 14,494.11
31 in 579.76
2 + Powerball1 in 701.33
1 + Powerball1 in 91.98
Powerball only1 in 38.32

Add those up and the odds of winning any Powerball prize are about 1 in 24.87 - most of which is the smallest prizes.

Powerball vs Mega Millions Odds

The two big US jackpot games are almost identical on odds. Powerball's jackpot is 1 in 292,201,338; Mega Millions, with 70 white balls and a Mega Ball from 1-24, is 1 in 290,472,336 - very slightly better. The difference is far too small to matter: over a lifetime of tickets, both are effectively out of reach, and the real difference between them is ticket price and prize structure.

For better odds, look at smaller games: a 5/39 game like NY Take 5 is about 1 in 575,757, roughly 500 times easier than Powerball - with a much smaller top prize. The lottery number generator page compares jackpot odds for every game we support.

Lottery Odds Calculator Options

Game Presets

19 lotteries with their official formats: Powerball, Mega Millions, Lotto America, SuperLotto Plus, Florida Lotto, Florida Fantasy 5, Lotto Texas, Texas Two Step, NY Lotto, NJ Pick-6, NY Take 5, Lotto Max, Lotto 6/49, Daily Grand, EuroMillions, EuroJackpot, Lotto 6aus49, UK Lotto and classic 6/49.

Main Numbers

How many numbers are drawn (1-10) and the size of the pool they are drawn from (up to 100).

Bonus Numbers

For games with a separate bonus pool: how many bonus numbers are drawn (0-3) and from which pool (up to 50). Set it to 0 for single-pool games.

Odds for Every Match

Besides the jackpot, the results list the odds and probability of every possible match, from all numbers down to none.

How to Use the Lottery Odds Calculator

[STEP 1] Choose Your Lottery

Click a preset such as Powerball or EuroMillions, or enter your lottery's format in the custom fields.

[STEP 2] Enter a Custom Format (Optional)

Set how many main numbers are drawn and from which pool, then the same for the bonus pool if your game has one.

[STEP 3] Calculate

Press CALCULATE ODDS to see the jackpot odds and a table with the odds of every possible match.

[STEP 4] Compare With Your Prize Table

Check which matches pay a prize in your lottery - the calculator gives the odds, your lottery's prize table gives the payout.

Reading Lottery Odds Sensibly

  • _ Every combination has the same odds: 1-2-3-4-5 is exactly as likely as any "random-looking" set.
  • _ Past draws do not change future odds - there are no "due" or "hot" numbers.
  • _ Buying more lines raises your chance only in proportion: 10 lines of Powerball is still 10 in 292,201,338.
  • _ Avoiding popular numbers (birthdays, patterns) does not improve your odds, but reduces the chance of sharing a jackpot.
  • _ Smaller games trade jackpot size for much better odds.
  • _ Set a budget and treat tickets as entertainment, never as an investment.

Lottery Odds Algorithm

The calculator uses exact combinatorics - no simulation. Each probability is a ratio of binomial coefficients, computed in the browser.

// Probability of matching exactly m of the k numbers drawn from a pool of n
P(main = m)  = C(k, m) * C(n - k, k - m) / C(n, k)

// Same for the bonus pool (j of b drawn from a pool of B)
P(bonus = j) = C(b, j) * C(B - b, b - j) / C(B, b)

// The two draws are independent
P(m + j)     = P(main = m) * P(bonus = j)
Odds         = 1 in 1 / P(m + j)

// Powerball jackpot: C(69, 5) * C(26, 1) = 11,238,513 * 26 = 292,201,338

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the odds of winning the lottery? ▶
It depends on the game. Jackpot odds range from about 1 in 292 million for Powerball and 1 in 290 million for Mega Millions, to 1 in 45 million for 6/59 games like UK Lotto and NY Lotto, 1 in 14 million for a classic 6/49, and 1 in 575,757 for a 5/39 game like NY Take 5. Choose your game in the calculator above to see its exact odds.
How are lottery odds calculated? ▶
By counting combinations. A game that draws k numbers from n has C(n, k) possible tickets; if it adds a separate bonus pool, you multiply by the number of bonus combinations. Your jackpot odds are 1 in that total.
What are the odds of winning any Powerball prize? ▶
About 1 in 24.87. Most of that comes from the smallest prizes, such as matching only the Powerball (1 in 38.32).
Which has better odds, Powerball or Mega Millions? ▶
Mega Millions, very slightly: 1 in 290,472,336 against 1 in 292,201,338 for Powerball. In practice the difference is negligible.
Which lottery has the best odds? ▶
Smaller games with fewer numbers. Of the games in the calculator, NY Take 5 (1 in 575,757) has by far the best jackpot odds; NJ Pick-6 (1 in 9,366,819) and classic 6/49 games (1 in 13,983,816) come next.
Do quick picks have better odds than chosen numbers? ▶
No. Every combination has exactly the same chance. A random quick pick only avoids popular choices like birthdays, which lowers the chance of splitting a jackpot with other winners.

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APA Style:
Generate-Random.org. (2026). Lottery Odds Calculator. Retrieved from https://generate-random.org/lottery-odds-calculator
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Lottery Odds Calculator - Generate-Random.org (https://generate-random.org/lottery-odds-calculator)