Powerball and Mega Millions Drawing Days: What Most People Get Wrong

Ever stood in line at a gas station, staring at the neon orange and blue signs, and realized you have absolutely no clue if the big drawing is tonight or tomorrow? You aren’t alone. Honestly, it’s a bit of a mess.

Between the mid-week changes and the way the times shift depending on whether you’re in New York or Los Angeles, keeping track of Powerball and Mega Millions drawing days is basically a part-time job.

Most people just assume "big lotto" happens on the weekends. They’re wrong. If you’re waiting for Saturday to get your Mega Millions ticket, you’ve already missed the boat twice that week.

The Schedule: When the Balls Actually Drop

Let’s get the basics out of the way first. Powerball and Mega Millions do not share the same schedule, which is probably why everyone gets so confused.

Mega Millions drawings happen twice a week: Tuesday and Friday.

Powerball is the more aggressive sibling, drawing three times a week: Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.

If you're keeping score, that means there is a massive jackpot drawing every single night of the work week plus Saturday. Sunday is your only day off. Use it to rest your thumbs from checking the app.

The timing is where things get tricky for the West Coast crowd. Both drawings take place at 11:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

If you are in Florida, you’re watching the balls drop just as you’re thinking about bed. If you’re in California, it’s only 8:00 p.m., and you’re probably still stuck in traffic or finishing dinner.

Why the Monday Powerball Drawing Still Trips People Up

For decades, Powerball was a Wednesday/Saturday game. It was a rhythm we all knew. Then, back in late 2021, they added Monday nights.

They did it for a very specific reason: money. More drawings mean the jackpot climbs faster. It’s simple math. But even years later, I still see people surprised on Tuesday morning when they hear someone won $400 million on a "random" Monday night.

It isn't random. It's the new normal.

The 2025 Mega Millions Price Hike (and Why It Matters)

If you haven't bought a ticket in a while, you're in for some serious sticker shock. In April 2025, Mega Millions underwent a massive overhaul.

The price of a single ticket jumped from $2 to **$5**.

Yeah, you read that right. A 150% increase.

But there’s a silver lining that makes the Powerball and Mega Millions drawing days even more interesting. Every single $5 Mega Millions ticket now comes with a "built-in" multiplier. You don't have to pay extra for the "Megaplier" anymore because it's baked into the price.

This means the smallest prize you can win is now $10. In the old days, you’d match the Mega Ball and win $2, which basically just bought you another ticket. Now, if you win anything, you’re at least doubling your money or better.

Also, they removed one of the gold Mega Balls. There are now 24 instead of 25. It sounds small, but it actually improved the jackpot odds from 1 in 302 million to about 1 in 290 million. Still astronomical, sure, but hey, we'll take any help we can get.

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Don't Get Burned by the "Cut-Off" Time

This is the most common way people lose out. Just because the drawing is at 11:00 p.m. ET doesn't mean you can buy a ticket at 10:59 p.m.

Every state has a cut-off time. Most states stop selling tickets for that night's drawing at 10:00 p.m. ET (or 9:00 p.m. CT).

I’ve seen people sprinting into a 7-Eleven at 10:05 p.m. only to be told the machine is locked. Their numbers for the "Friday" drawing ended up being for the following Tuesday. Imagine if those Friday numbers actually hit. That’s the stuff of nightmares.

Powerball’s Secret Weapon: Double Play

While Mega Millions went the "all-inclusive" route with their $5 ticket, Powerball stuck to the $2 base price but kept the "Double Play" option.

For an extra $1, your numbers get entered into a second drawing that happens right after the main one. The top prize for Double Play is $10 million in cash.

It’s a different vibe. Mega Millions is chasing the billion-dollar headlines with that $5 ticket, while Powerball is trying to give you more "ways" to win smaller (but still life-changing) chunks of money.

What Happens if You Actually Win?

Let's talk reality. If you beat the 1 in 292.2 million odds for Powerball or the 1 in 290.5 million odds for Mega Millions, you have a choice.

1. The Annuity: You get one immediate payment followed by 29 annual payments. Each year, the check gets 5% bigger.
2. The Cash Option: You take a massive haircut (usually about half the advertised jackpot) and get it all at once.

Most people take the cash. They want the money now. But if you're worried about blowing it all in three years, that 30-year annuity is basically a guaranteed "wealth for life" plan.

Actionable Tips for Your Next Ticket

If you’re going to play, do it the smart way.

First, set a hard limit. The lottery is entertainment, not an investment strategy. If you’re spending more than the price of a fancy coffee once a week, you might want to rethink it.

Second, check your secondary prizes. Millions of dollars in "Match 5" prizes (where you get all the white balls but miss the Powerball/Mega Ball) go unclaimed every year. A $1 million or $2 million win won't buy you a private island, but it’ll definitely pay off the mortgage.

Finally, sign the back of your ticket immediately. In most states, a lottery ticket is a "bearer instrument." That means whoever holds the ticket owns the prize. If you drop it in the parking lot and haven't signed it, whoever finds it is the new millionaire.

Check your calendar. If it's Monday, Wednesday, or Saturday, it's a Powerball night. If it's Tuesday or Friday, it's Mega Millions. Good luck—you're definitely going to need it.