Lottery prizes have been larger than the current jackpots, but it's the first time both games have offered top prizes of $800 million or more since the games were created decades ago.
Both games are sold in 45 states as well as Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Powerball also is sold in Puerto Rico.
Both massive prizes are the results of months without a big winner, but the larger jackpots entice more people to play the games, increasing the chance that someone, somewhere, will finally hit it rich.Up first is the Powerball drawing on Monday night, followed by Tuesday night's Mega Millions drawing. If there isn't a winner, the next chance to win Powerball will be Wednesday night and the next drawing for Mega Millions will be Friday night.
For Mega Millions, the odds of matching all six numbers are 1 in 302.6 million. Powerball has slightly better odds of 1 in 292.2 million. That's because the state lotteries that run the games promote the total payoff if the prize is paid through an annuity over 30 years. That figure is now roughly double the cash prize, which nearly all winners choose because they want to invest the money themselves rather than opt for a defined payout.
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