From lightning to lucky clovers: Odds better than winning the lottery
ATLANTA - As the Powerball jackpot climbs into the stratosphere, many Americans are asking the same question: what are the real odds of winning it all? And how do those odds compare to other rare events — like getting struck by lightning, bowling a perfect game, or even becoming president of the United States?
Here's a look at the numbers and the odds:
What are the odds?
What we know:
The odds of winning Mega Millions are 1 in 290,472,336.
The odds of winning Powerball are 1 in 292,201,338.
To win, players must match all five drawn numbers and the additional "Powerball" or "Mega Ball."
Does buying more tickets help?
Yes — but not by much. Buying more tickets technically improves your chances, but the odds remain overwhelmingly long.
So, even if you buy 100 tickets versus 1 ticket, you chances are still about $2.9 million.
Comparing the odds
Here's a look at how lucky or unlucky you might be in comparison to winning the lottery.
⛳ Getting a Hole-in-One
1 in 12,000
A rare shot — but 1–2% of golfers sink one each year.
🦪 Finding a Pearl in an Oyster
1 in 10,000
More likely than the lottery — and sometimes worth thousands.
⚡ Getting Struck by Lightning in a Lifetime
1 in 15,300
A shocking win in the odds game.
🥇 Winning an Olympic Medal
1 in 662,000
A long shot, unless you’ve been training for years.
✈️ Dying in a Plane Crash
1 in 11 million
Extremely rare — flying remains very safe.
❤️ Being Saved by CPR
Up to 45% recovery rate
Why learning CPR could save someone’s life.
☄️ Killed by a Meteorite
Between 1 in 3,000 and 1 in 250,000
A cosmic rarity — but it has happened.
🍀 Finding a Four-Leaf Clover
1 in 10,000
Lucky find more likely than the jackpot.
📊 Getting Audited by the IRS
1 in 220
Way more likely than picking Powerball numbers.
🎳 Bowling a Perfect Game
1 in 11,500 (casual players)
460 to 1 for pros — bowling’s pinnacle is far more common than winning big.
🎂 Living to 100
1 in 3,000 in the U.S.
More women than men reach this milestone.
✏️ Earning a Perfect SAT Score
0.03% of test takers
A rare academic achievement, but still better than hitting the jackpot.
🚗 Getting Your Car Stolen
0.3% chance per year
Hundreds of thousands of vehicles are taken annually.
🏛 Seeing Your Congressperson Reelected
90%+ odds
One of the surest bets in American politics.
🥗 Having Food Poisoning
1 in 6
A common "unlucky" outcome each year.
🎓 Getting into Harvard
1 in 31 (3.2% acceptance rate in 2021)
Still easier than winning the lottery.
📬 Losing Something in the Mail
3–5% chance
A frustrating but not uncommon occurrence.
🧬 Becoming a Bone Marrow Donor
1 in 430
A rare chance to save a life.
🦈 Dying in a Shark Attack
1 in 3.7 million (coastal residents)
Even rarer if you live inland.
👶 Being Named Emma or Jacob
1 in 115 girls, 1 in 222 boys
Two of the 21st century’s most popular baby names.
✋ Being Ambidextrous
1 in 100
A rare but real skill.
🌪 Dying in a Hurricane
1 in 62,288
Better forecasting has reduced fatalities.
🥚 Cracking a Double-Yolk Egg
1 in 1,000
A breakfast surprise you might actually see.
💀 Dying on Your Birthday
6.7% more likely than other days
An eerie statistical quirk.
🖐 Being Born with Extra Fingers or Toes
1 in 500–1,000 births
A condition called polydactyly.
⚾ Catching a Foul Ball at an MLB Game
1 in 835
A lucky fan favorite.
♠️ Being Dealt a Royal Flush
1 in 649,740
Poker’s rarest hand, but still far more likely than lottery riches.
📅 Being Born on Leap Day
1 in 1,461
A birthday that only comes around every four years.
🦷 Keeping All Your Wisdom Teeth
About 15% avoid extraction
Most people get them removed.
👽 That There Is Alien Life
~45% chance (scientific estimate)
Still unproven, but odds are better than winning Powerball.
👶 Giving Birth on Your Due Date
1 in 25
Most babies arrive earlier or later.
🏀 Creating a Perfect March Madness Bracket
1 in 9.2 quintillion (Forbes estimate)
Easily tougher than the lottery.
🌍 Being Born at All
1 in 10^2,685,000
The biggest long shot you’ve already won.
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