PowerBall vs Lotto: How the Two Games Compare
PowerBall and Lotto are South Africa’s two best-known lottery games, and they work quite differently. Here is a plain, side-by-side look at the numbers, the odds, how often each is drawn and how often the jackpot has actually been won.
At a glance
| PowerBall | Lotto | |
|---|---|---|
| Main numbers drawn | 5 | 6 |
| Main number range | 1 to 50 | 1 to 52 |
| Extra ball | A PowerBall number | A bonus ball |
| Combinations of the main numbers | 2,118,760 | 20,358,520 |
| Chance of matching all main numbers | 1 in 2,118,760 | 1 in 20,358,520 |
| Jackpot chance | 1 in 42,375,200 * | 1 in 20,358,520 |
| Prize divisions in our records | 9 | 8 |
* Winning the PowerBall jackpot means matching all 5 main numbers and the PowerBall number. Our records show PowerBall numbers up to 20, so the full odds are the main-number combinations multiplied by 20. Please confirm this against the official rules.
How the two games work
Lotto asks you to choose a set of numbers from one range. A draw produces the winning main numbers plus a bonus ball, and prizes are split into divisions depending on how many of your numbers match, and in some divisions whether the bonus ball matches too.
PowerBall has two parts. You choose a smaller set of main numbers from one range and a separate PowerBall number from a second range. The jackpot needs all of the main numbers and the PowerBall number to match, and there are also prizes for matching the PowerBall number on its own or alongside fewer main numbers.
Put simply, Lotto is one pool and a bonus ball, while PowerBall is two pools, and that second pool is what makes the PowerBall jackpot harder to hit.
Comparing the odds
Matching all the main numbers is easier in PowerBall (1 in 2,118,760) than in Lotto (1 in 20,358,520), because fewer numbers are drawn from a smaller range. But the PowerBall jackpot also needs the PowerBall number, so the full odds work out to 1 in 42,375,200, which is about 2.1 times longer than the Lotto jackpot at 1 in 20,358,520.
For smaller matches, here is the chance of matching exactly that many main numbers with one ticket:
| Main numbers matched | PowerBall | Lotto |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | — | 0.000005% (1 in 20,358,520) |
| 5 | 0.000047% (1 in 2,118,760) | 0.0014% (1 in 73,763) |
| 4 | 0.0106% (1 in 9,417) | 0.0763% (1 in 1,311) |
| 3 | 0.4673% (1 in 214) | 1.5% (1 in 67.1) |
| 2 | 6.7% (1 in 14.9) | 12.0% (1 in 8.3) |
These figures cover the main numbers only. Which matches pay a prize, and how the extra ball counts, is set by the official rules. Our lottery odds guide explains how they’re worked out.
How often each game is drawn
Draw days and times are set by the operator and can change, so check the official schedule. In our archive:
| PowerBall | Lotto | |
|---|---|---|
| Draws in our archive | 168 | 166 |
| Covering | 28 Mar 2025 to 6 Nov 2026 | 2 Apr 2025 to 7 Nov 2026 |
| Average gap between draws | 3.5 days | 3.5 days |
| Days of the week draws have recently fallen on | Friday (31), Tuesday (29) | Saturday (31), Wednesday (29) |
Day counts are for up to the latest 60 draws in our archive.
How often has the jackpot been won?
Our records include how many players won the top division in each draw, so we can see how often the jackpot has actually been won:
| PowerBall | Lotto | |
|---|---|---|
| Draws with a top-division winner | 10 of 168 (6%) | 14 of 166 (8%) |
| Largest “next jackpot” recorded | R106 000 000 | R20 000 000 |
The longer a game’s jackpot odds, the less often it should be won, and the more often it rolls over. A rollover grows the prize but doesn’t change anyone’s chance of winning it. These figures describe the draws in our archive only and say nothing about future draws.
What to think about when choosing
Neither game is a better bet. They’re two different ways of taking part, with different trade-offs:
- Jackpot odds versus prize size. The game with the longer jackpot odds tends to roll over more and can reach bigger prizes, but you are less likely to ever hit it.
- Smaller prizes. Matching a few numbers is much more likely than matching them all, so the lower divisions are where most winnings happen in either game.
- How often you want to play. More draws mean more chances to spend, so decide how much you’re comfortable spending in total, not per ticket.
- What you enjoy. Some people like Lotto’s single pool, others like PowerBall’s two-part format. Pick on enjoyment, not on a belief that one is luckier.
Whichever you choose, every valid combination has exactly the same chance, and past results can’t tell you what comes next.
Playing sensibly
- You must be 18 or older to play or claim.
- Set a fixed entertainment budget and stick to it.
- Never chase losses or borrow to play.
- Think of a ticket as a small treat, not a way to make money.
- Check results on the official channels before you travel to claim a large prize.
Frequently asked questions
Is PowerBall or Lotto easier to win?
It depends what you mean by “win”. Matching the main numbers is easier in PowerBall because fewer are drawn from a smaller range, but the top prize also needs the PowerBall number, which makes the jackpot harder overall. Neither is a better bet: they simply have different odds and prize structures.
Which game has the bigger jackpots?
Jackpots depend on sales and on how many draws have rolled over, and they change all the time. Check the official channels for the current figures. The table on this page shows the largest jackpots recorded in our archive.
Do the games use the same numbers?
No. They have different number ranges, different numbers drawn and separate draws, so one game’s results say nothing about the other.
Can I play both?
Yes, they are separate games with their own tickets and draws. Whatever you play, set a budget in advance and treat it as entertainment.
Do the odds change if a jackpot has rolled over many times?
No. A rollover makes the prize bigger, not your chance of winning it.
Where can I see the results for each game?
Each game has its own results page on TechChamp with the latest draw, winners in each division and a ticket checker. Always confirm results on the official National Lottery channels.
Keep reading
- PowerBall results and draw history
- Lotto results and draw history
- Lottery odds explained
- How to play Lotto, Lotto Plus 1 and Lotto 5 Max
- How to claim a lottery prize
- More articles
TechChamp is an independent information site. We aren’t affiliated with, endorsed by or operated by the South African National Lottery, Ithuba or any official operator, and we don’t sell tickets.