I just reviewed the historical lottery data in the U.S., and it's interesting to see how some states have many more winners than others. It's not that the odds change, but clearly there are patterns. Indiana leads in Powerball with 39 jackpots won since 1992, while New York dominates in Mega Millions with 43. I guess it has to do with sales volume and how long they've been participating.

What surprises me most are the record jackpots. The all-time record was the $2.04 billion prize in California in November 2022 in Powerball, which is simply mind-blowing. Mega Millions reached its peak in Florida in 2023 with $1.602 billion. Looking at the top 10 largest prizes for each lottery, California consistently appears in Powerball, while New York is a machine in Mega Millions.

The mechanics are quite different between the two. Powerball costs $2 and you need to match 5 numbers from 1 to 69 plus the Powerball from 1 to 26, with odds of winning the jackpot at 1 in 292 million. Mega Millions increased to $5 starting this year, using 5 numbers from 1 to 70 and a Mega Ball from 1 to 24, with odds of 1 in 290 million. Both are drawn several times a week, so jackpots grow quickly when there are no winners.