What numbers win most often in Mega Millions?

Everyone wants to win the lottery. Keep an eye out for these common lottery numbers if you want to up your chances of hitting it big.

The chances of winning the lottery are about one in 300 million, but the unlikely odds don’t mean you can’t do more to up your chances of winning, like buying multiple tickets, playing every draw, or living in the state with the most lottery winners. Lucky lottery numbers are also a way to increase your chances. Here’s how to win the lottery (or at least boost your chances) by picking the most common lottery numbers (just one of the things lottery winners won’t tell you.)

How to pick lottery numbers

Instead of picking a meaningful date, like a birthday or anniversary, it’s a no-brainer to select the most common lottery numbers to boost your odds. And, yes, there is a way to find out lucky lottery numbers! There are a few websites that track the lottery numbers that are pulled the most; keeping track of them is a good method for how to pick lottery numbers. The most common Mega Ball number is 22. Meanwhile, stay clear of 21, 45, 50, 55, and 51 when choosing your first five numbers. (But keep in mind that the unlucky and lucky lottery numbers and their exact number of calls are always changing!)

ZikG/Shutterstock

Most winning lottery numbers: Mega Millions

According to USA Mega, here are the most common Mega Millions numbers drawn since October 31, 2017:

  • 22
  • 11
  • 9
  • 10
  • 4
  • 19

22 was drawn 26 times and 11 was drawn 24 times. Several other of the most common Mega Millions numbers were drawn 18 times; these numbers are 13, 14, 17, 18, 24, and 25.

ZikG/Shutterstock

Most winning lottery numbers: Powerball

As for the most common Powerball numbers, you can check those out online as well, but here are a few:

  • 66
  • 23
  • 61
  • 53
  • 21
  • 63
  • 59
  • 69
  • 64
  • 20

According to CNBC, the Powerball and Mega Millions jackpots have both been on the rise. The Mega Millions jackpot is a hefty $244 million, but the Powerball jackpot is tipping the scale at $540 million!

There might not be a better time to buy a ticket, cross your fingers, and select these lucky numbers. Of course, there’s no guarantee that choosing these digits will win you the lotto, since past frequency doesn’t determine what numbers come next. Read up on this lottery ticket dispute in which a couple agreed to split the earnings if they won, but one left with everything.

Sources:

  • USAMega.com: “Mega Millions Statistics”
  • LottoNumbers.com: “Most Common Powerball Numbers”
  • CNBC: “Powerball’s jackpot surges to $540 million — yet doesn’t even crack the list of 10 largest lottery wins”

Local News

Updated on: July 29, 2022 / 1:02 PM / CBS Chicago

Mega Millions Jackpot Hits $1 Billion

Mega Millions Jackpot Hits $1 Billion 00:35

CHICAGO (CBS) -- The Mega Millions jackpot is currently $1.28 billion--or $747 million in whopping lump sum payment.

Yes, you could play your kids' birthdays, or your anniversary, or some similar combination.

But with more than a billion dollars on the line,  some research might be in order. After taxes, according to lottostrategies, a single Illinois winner could collect about $523 million. (This number is based on Friday's midday jackpot figures, which could still grow before Friday night's drawing.) 

According to USA Mega, here are the most common numbers drawn based on the past 100 drawings: 7, 21, 40, 3, 58.

The most common Mega Ball is 24.

For those who are looking for the least common numbers: 23, 50, 54, 67, 49.

The least common Mega ball is 7. It hasn't been drawn a single time in the past 100 drawings. 

Of course choosing your numbers or relying on the machine to pick them does not change your odds of winning the jackpot. which are 1 in 302,575,350.  For comparison, you have about a 1 in 2 million chance of getting attacked by a bear, according to the National Park Service. 

There was no jackpot winner in the Tuesday Mega Millions drawing, but 9 lucky players matched the first 5 numbers for a $1,000,000 prize, including one ticket purchased in Illinois.  

Thanks for reading CBS NEWS.

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