Lottery Games With the Best Odds By State (2024)

Which is the best lottery to play when you want better odds of winning? Sure, odds of hitting the jackpot get the most talked about in the news. As in, the odds of hitting the Mega Millions jackpot are 1 in 302,575,350. But have you considered the overall odds of winning any prize?

There are a total 9 ways to win Mega Millions, from the jackpot down to $2. You have 1 in 24 overall chances of winning a prize at some level.

Winner winner: Seewhich states have won Mega Millions.

Some lottery games have overall odds as high as 1 in 4! But what lottery games have the best odds? Take a look at how some of your favorite lottery games stack up in:

  • Arizona*
  • Arkansas*
  • Colorado*
  • Florida
  • Massachusetts*
  • New Jersey*
  • New York*
  • Ohio*
  • Texas*

*Jackpocket state!

Note: We're not including Pick 3 and Pick 4 style games because odds vary depending on your play type – box, straight, etc.

⚡️ Feeling inspired? Get in the game on the Jackpocket lottery appfor mobile or desktop.

Which Games Have the Best Lottery Odds in Texas?

All or Nothing is the lottery game with the best odds in Texas! You have a 1 in 4.5 shot of winning a prize. We've had 10 Jackpocket players across Texas hit the $250,000 top prize!

GameOverall Odds of WinningTop PrizeMinimum Prize
All Or Nothing1 in 4.5$250,000$2
Cash 51 in 7.2$25,000Free play (Quick Pick)
Lotto Texas1 in 7.9Starts at $5 million$2
Mega Millions1 in 24Starts at $20 million$2
Powerball1 in 25Starts at $20 million$4
Texas Two Step1 in 32.4Starts at $200,000$5

Which Games Have the Best Lottery Odds in New York?

Your best bet in NY? Cash4Life. You've got a 1 in 8 shot of winning a prize. (Take 5 is a close second!).

GameOverall Odds of WinningTop PrizeMinimum Prize
Cash4Life1 in 8$1,000 a day for life$2
Take 51 in 8.77~$50,000Free play (Quick Pick)
Pick 101 in 17$500,000$4
Mega Millions1 in 24Starts at $20 million$2
Powerball1 in 25Starts at $20 million$4
New York Lotto1 in 92.05Starts at $1 million5th prize

Which Games Have the Best Lottery Odds in New Jersey?

The NJ lottery game with the best odds is Pick-6 with XTRA! You have 1 in 7 overall odds of winning a prize.

GameOverall Odds of WinningTop PrizeMinimum Prize
Pick-6 with XTRA1 in 7Starts at $2 million$2
Cash4Life1 in 8$1,000 a day for life$2
Jersey Cash 5 with XTRA1 in 11Starts at $100,000$2
Mega Millions1 in 24Starts at $20M$2
Powerball1 in 25Starts at $20M$4

Which Games Have the Best Lottery Odds in Ohio?

Ohioans will have the best luck playing Lucky for Life or Rolling Cash 5.

GameOverall Odds of WinningTop PrizeMinimum Prize
Lucky for Life1 in 8$1,000 a day for life$3
Rolling Cash 51 in 9Starts at $100,000$1
Mega Millions1 in 24Starts at $20 million$2
Powerball1 in 25Starts at $20 million$4
Classic Lotto1 in 54Starts at $1 million$2

Which Florida Lottery Games Have the Best Odds?

It's a close one, but Fantasy 5 has the best overall odds of winning among Florida draw games. Florida Lotto comes in second. Both games offer a Free Ticket as the minimum prize.

GameOverall Odds of WinningTop PrizeMinimum Prize
Fantasy 51 in 7.58$100,000Free Ticket ($1)
Florida Lotto1 in 7.61Starts at $1 millionFree Ticket ($2)
Cash4Life1 in 8$1,000 a day for life$2
Jackpot Triple Play1 in 15.24$250,000$1
Mega Millions1 in 24Starts at $20 million$2
Powerball1 in 25Starts at $20 million$4

Which Games Have the Best Lottery Odds in Minnesota?

When in Minnesota, play North 5. You've got 1 in 6 odds of winning.

GameOverall Odds of WinningTop PrizeMinimum Prize
North 51 in 6Starts at $25,000$1
Lotto America1 in 9.63Starts at $2 million$2
Gopher 51 in 12Starts at $100,000$1
Mega Millions1 in 24Starts at $20 million$2
Powerball1 in 25Starts at $20 million$4

Which Games Have the Best Lottery Odds in Colorado?

There's a lot to love in Colorado... Like the Colorado Lottery game Cash 5, which has an incredible 1 in 5.22 overall odds of winning.

GameOverall Odds of WinningTop PrizeMinimum Prize
Cash 51 in 5.22$20,000$1
Lucky for Life1 in 8$1,000 a day for life$3
Mega Millions1 in 24Starts at $20 million$2
Powerball1 in 25Starts at $20 million$4
Colorado Lotto+1 in 30Starts at $1 million$3

Which Games Have the Best Lottery Odds in Arkansas?

Arkansas, your best bet is Lucky for Life or Natural State Jackpot. Good thing these games boast amazing prizes!

GameOverall Odds of WinningTop PrizeMinimum Prize
Lucky for Life1 in 8$1,000 a day for life$4
Natural State Jackpot1 in 9Starts at $50,000$1
LOTTO1 in 18.3Starts at $250,000$2
Mega Millions1 in 24Starts at $20 million$2
Powerball1 in 25Starts at $20 million$4

Which Games Have the Best Lottery Odds in Arizona?

Make your dreams come true with Fantasy 5 in Arizona! You have 1 in 9.62 overall odds of winning a prize.

GameOverall Odds of WinningTop PrizeMinimum Prize
Fantasy 51 in 9.62Starts at $50,000$1
Mega Millions1 in 24Starts at $20 million$2
Powerball1 in 25Starts at $20 million$4
The Pick1 in 39Starts at $1 million$3

Which Games Have the BestLottery Odds in Massachusetts?

Bay Staters who play Lucky for Life have 1 in 7.8 overall odds of winning a prize.

GameOverall Odds of WinningTop PrizeMinimum Prize
Lucky for Life1 in 8$1,000 a day for life$3
Mega Millions1 in 24Starts at $20 million$2
Powerball1 in 25Starts at $20 million$4
Megabucks Doubler1 in 54Starts at $500,000$2
Mass Cash1 in 72$100,000$10

So what's it gonna be? Better odds or BIGGER jackpots? Either way, happy picking.

Top tips to determine the best lottery to play

When it comes to the best odds in a lottery game, it’s important to remember that most states offer various lottery games with different prizes and formats. Local lotteries usually have smaller prizes, but you have a better chance of winning. National games like Powerball and Mega Millions are a longshot to win, but you could take home over $20 million if you do! Check out the games in your state and pick one with the lotto odds and prizes you like. Keep these tips in mind the next time you try your luck with your favorite game!

Take the 2nd chance

When determining the best lottery to play, some people opt for games with second-chance promotions. Numerous states conduct second-chance drawings for losing tickets, presenting an excellent chance to secure prizes that may have eluded you initially. Visit your state's lottery website to find out if there's a game with a second-chance drawing available for you to join.

Pool your resources with friends

When considering the best odds in a lottery game, you could think about teaming up with friends or co-workers to improve your chances. Everyone contributes a ticket to the lottery pool (allowing you to cover more numbers) and then shares the prizes if any of the tickets are winners. Jackpocket offers pools for Powerball and Mega Millions that you can create or join with other lottery lovers in your state.

Don’t forget scratch-offs!

A scratch game like Set for Life in Colorado can have great overall lotto odds (this one is 1 in 2.57) and some very nice prizes up for grabs. But be aware that they do cost more than your typical $2 Powerball ticket. Your state lottery drops new scratch games all the time so check your official state lottery website for the current lineup.


But please, remember: it’s just a game! You should never spend more than you can afford on any lottery ticket. Read more of our tips on playing the lottery responsibly.

Lottery Games With the Best Odds By State (2024)

FAQs

Which state has the best odds of winning the lottery? ›

Mega Millions Jackpots by State

Florida has had better luck with Powerball jackpots, having 16 over the last two decades. That's two less than the leader, Pennsylvania. The latter hasn't had a jackpot-winning ticket since 2021, when a $516 million grand prize was hit in May of that year.

What lottery games have the highest odds? ›

THE BEST WORLDWIDE LOTTERY ODDS
WORLDWIDE LOTTERY ODDS
German Lotto1:139,838,160
Powerball (US)1:292,201,338
MegaMillions (US)1:302,573,350
SuperEnalotto (Italy)1:622,614,630
15 more rows

Which lottery game is most likely to win? ›

Lotteries That Offer Better Odds Of Winning

The experts say that you players looking to win should stick with pick-3 or pick-4 games that are only offered to in-state residents. The payouts may be much smaller, but your odds of winning are significantly higher.

Which state lotteries are most profitable? ›

Sales of lotteries in the U.S. 2023, by state

The state with the largest lottery sales in 2023 was New York, generating over 10 billion U.S. dollars. This was followed by Florida and California, with lottery sales amounting to over 9.8 billion and 9.2 billion U.S. dollars, respectively.

Where do lottery tickets win the most? ›

California, New York, Indiana, New Jersey, Missouri, and Louisiana have all sold over 10 Powerball jackpot-winning tickets. Five states or jurisdictions that participate in Powerball have yet to sell a winning ticket: Maine, Mississippi, North Dakota, the Virgin Islands, and Washington.

What state wins the lottery most often? ›

New York state is home to the most Mega Millions jackpot winners, with 42 winning tickets sold in the Empire State. California follows with 36 winning tickets sold in-state. The more populated states correlate to selling more Mega Millions jackpot-winning tickets.

What are the 6 most common winning lottery numbers? ›

The most frequently drawn winning numbers from the main barrel are 17, 7, 11, 2, 3 and 9, while the least frequently drawn are 33, 15, 34, 31, 26 and 1. The most frequently drawn Powerball numbers are 19 and 2, while the least frequently drawn Powerball numbers are 14 and 16.

What lottery hits the most? ›

List of U.S. lottery drawings of $400 million or more (annuity value):
RankJackpotGame
1$2.04bPowerball
2$1.765bPowerball
3$1.602bMega Millions
4$1.5864bPowerball
44 more rows

How can I maximize my odds of winning the lottery? ›

To better your chances of winning any lottery, you have to buy more tickets, he said. The more tickets, the more chances of choosing the right combination of numbers.

What is the best day to play the lottery? ›

Is there a better day of the week or time of day that increases the probability of winning? Because the lottery is a game of chance, every ticket has an equal opportunity to be the winning ticket. This means there really isn't a luckiest time to buy lottery tickets.

What is the most successful way to play the lottery? ›

Buy Multiple Lottery Tickets Within Your Budget

Every ticket with different numbers improves your chances of winning the lottery. Of course, every purchase also increases your total cost and you shouldn't spend more than you can afford.

Which scratch card has the best odds? ›

Top 5 Scratch Cards with the Highest Return to Player
  • Witch Pickings Scratch (95.7%) Developed by NextGen, Witch Pickings Scratch is a simple, yet mesmerizing scratch card that's based upon their popular slot of the same name. ...
  • Merlin's Millions (95.17%) ...
  • Medusa Scratch (95.17%) ...
  • Ghost Pepper Scratch (94.48%)

Which state lottery is easiest to win? ›

In short, what state you're in matters — a lot.
  • #5 Minnesota. With an income tax rate of 7.25% on lottery prizes, the Land of 10,000 Lakes will take quite a big chunk from your winnings. ...
  • #4 Maryland. ...
  • #3 Oregon. ...
  • #2 New Jersey. ...
  • #1 New York. ...
  • #5 Colorado. ...
  • #4 Indiana. ...
  • #3 Pennsylvania.

What is the luckiest state to win the lottery? ›

Delaware is the luckiest state in the U.S., according to CasinoUS. Ten people in the state have won the Powerball jackpot since its inception in 1992. Ratio of wins was 0.97 per 100,000 people.

What state is the least likely to win the lottery? ›

Least lucky states for Powerball and Mega Millions
  • Maine.
  • Mississippi.
  • Montana.
  • New Mexico.
  • North Dakota.
  • Oklahoma.
  • South Dakota.
  • Wyoming.
May 18, 2023

What states are least likely to win the lottery? ›

The states that have never produced a winning Powerball ticket are Mississippi, North Dakota and Wyoming, along with the U.S. Virgin Islands. There are even more states, 19, that have never produced a winning Mega Millions ticket. Some states — Alabama, Alaska, Hawaii, Nevada and Utah — simply don't play the lottery.

Which has better odds, Mega Millions or Powerball? ›

Lottery officials say the chances of winning the Mega Millions jackpot are 1 in 302,575,350. With the Powerball, the odds of taking the grand prize are 1 in 292,201,338. Numbers that big are impossible to wrap your brain around, though. So let's put that into a bit of context.

What state has the highest tax on the lottery? ›

New York levies the highest tax on wins at 10.9%, followed by Maryland (8.9%) and the District of Columbia (8.5%), according to Lottery USA. If the Powerball winner lives in New York − assuming there are no deductions − they will have to pay $49,017,300 on the cash option, according to Lottery USA's tax calculator.

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