Community Corner

What Are Your Odds of Winning Mega Millions? (Hint: Not Great)

You have a better chance of becoming an astronaut or being made a saint.

"May the odds be ever in your favor." - Katniss Everdeen, "The Hunger Games"

Your odds of surviving "The Hunger Games" competition are probably far better than your odds of winning Mega Millions. The odds are definitely better that you'll be struck by lightning in any given year (one in 500,000), become an astronaut (one in 13 million), be made a saint (one in 20 million) or die from a mountain lion attack in California (one in 32 million).

In fact, with the odds of winning Mega Millions standing at one in 259 million, there are few things less likely to happen. You are more likely to win Mega Millions than be hit by falling space debris (odds are one in a trillion) or have a meteor score a direct hit on your house (one in 182 trillion).  The odds of winning the Mega Millions jackpot are also better than the odds you'll be killed on a 5-mile bus trip (one in 500 million). You are also more likely to win Mega Millions than die from a shark attack (odds are one in 300 million).

Despite the odds, millions of lottery players continue to buy a $1 chance to dream big and, even though the odds of winning the jackpot are definitely not in your favor, the odds of winning any prize are decent at one in 15.

Mega Millions tickets are $1 each play. Drawings are held twice weekly. For more information, visit the Mega Millions website.

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