You can win without matching the jackpot - every prize tier explained

ChamTax is an online calculator that shows the after-tax take-home amount for US Powerball and Mega Millions lottery winnings. The news only ever reports the jackpot (1st prize) amount, but both games actually have 9 prize tiers total, including ones you can win by matching just 1-2 numbers. Here's every tier's prize and odds at a glance.

Last updated: 2026-08-05

What you probably want to know first

Powerball, odds of winning any prize1/25 (4.04%)
Mega Millions, odds of winning any prize1/23 (4.34%)
Lowest prize tier (special ball only)$4-5
Highest tier below the jackpot (5 numbers)$1 million (about ₩1.5B)

Powerball prize tiers

You pick 5 main numbers (1-69) plus 1 Powerball number (1-26) - 6 numbers total. The jackpot (1st prize) changes every drawing, but everything from 2nd place down is a fixed amount. KRW figures are approximate conversions for reference.

TierPrizeKRW equivalentOdds
1st (5 numbers + Powerball)Jackpot (varies by drawing)-1/292,201,338
2nd (5 numbers)$1,000,000about ₩1.5 billion1/11,690,000
3rd (4 numbers + Powerball)$50,000about ₩75 million1/910,000
4th (4 numbers)$100about ₩150,0001/36,525
5th (3 numbers + Powerball)$100about ₩150,0001/14,494
6th (3 numbers)$7about ₩10,0001/580
7th (2 numbers + Powerball)$7about ₩10,0001/701
8th (1 number + Powerball)$4about ₩6,0001/92
9th (Powerball number only)$4about ₩6,0001/38

Mega Millions prize tiers

You pick 5 main numbers (1-70) plus 1 Mega Ball number (1-24) - 6 numbers total. Since the April 2025 rules overhaul, every tier except the jackpot automatically gets a random 2x-10x multiplier drawn on the day (not optional) - the amounts below are the base values before that multiplier.

TierPrizeKRW equivalentOdds
1st (5 numbers + Mega Ball)Jackpot (varies by drawing)-1/290,472,336
2nd (5 numbers)$1,000,000about ₩1.5 billion1/12,630,000
3rd (4 numbers + Mega Ball)$10,000about ₩14.9 million1/890,000
4th (4 numbers)$500about ₩740,0001/38,859
5th (3 numbers + Mega Ball)$200about ₩300,0001/13,965
6th (3 numbers)$10about ₩15,0001/607
7th (2 numbers + Mega Ball)$10about ₩15,0001/665
8th (1 number + Mega Ball)$10about ₩15,0001/86
9th (Mega Ball number only)$5about ₩7,4001/35

Why is there such a big gap between prize tiers?

Because the odds drop sharply with every extra number you match. On Powerball, for example, matching just 3 numbers (6th place) wins you $7 at 1-in-580 odds, but matching one more number (4th place) drops the odds all the way to 1-in-36,525 - in exchange for $100. Getting all the way to the jackpot means beating odds of roughly 1 in 292 million, which is about as close to impossible as it gets.

How much would you actually take home if you hit the jackpot?

Calculate it now →

Frequently asked questions

Do I win nothing at all if I don't match the jackpot numbers?

No, that's not right. Both Powerball and Mega Millions have a total of 9 prize tiers besides the jackpot (5 numbers + the special ball), so matching just 1-2 numbers can still win you a small prize. Even matching only the special ball (Powerball/Mega Ball) wins a prize.

Do the prize-tier amounts change with the size of the jackpot?

No. Only the jackpot (1st prize) rolls over and changes each drawing - prizes for 2nd through 9th place are fixed, predetermined amounts. One exception: since the April 2025 rules overhaul, Mega Millions automatically applies a random 2x-10x multiplier (drawn on the day) to every tier except the jackpot, so you could win more than the listed amount (on Powerball, this multiplier is an optional add-on called Power Play that you have to buy separately).

Is the overall odds of winning something really that high?

Yes - Powerball is about 1 in 25 (4.04%), and Mega Millions is about 1 in 23 (4.34%), meaning roughly 1 in every 25 tickets wins some prize. That figure includes the lowest tier (worth $4-5, for matching just the special ball), though - the odds of winning something as large as the jackpot are still astronomically low, at hundreds of millions to one.

Is this table kept up to date?

Yes, we update it whenever the prize amounts or odds structure changes. This table is pulled directly from the same data used in ChamTax's own odds-explorer tab, so it always matches what the calculator shows.

This page is for informational purposes only and does not sell, resell, or broker lottery tickets. Prize tiers and odds are based on official game rules; actual payouts may be split among multiple winners or shared purchases.