All the National Lotteries that offer EuroMillions also run a range of other draw games, so that different types of players can choose the games that suit them best. Some fans might be attracted to lotteries with the best odds or the lowest cost of entry, while others will always want to play for the largest jackpots.
EuroMillions has always been ‘the big money’ game in Europe, but Powerball’s introduction may change that position in the UK. It has already put up jackpots in excess of £300 million since starting last month (higher than EuroMillions has ever reached), and there is no limit to how much further it may go.
If you’re a jackpot chaser and you see Powerball and EuroMillions signs next to each other at your local retailer, the decision over which game to play may not be an easy one. It would not be a surprise to see a downturn in EuroMillions sales in the UK as a result of Powerball diluting the market. This would lead to the jackpot growing more slowly between draws.
The Case For EuroMillions
While the Powerball jackpot will be larger than the EuroMillions jackpot more often than not, there are a few other points to consider in the favour of EuroMillions.
For one, the odds of winning the EuroMillions jackpot are more than twice as good - 1 in 139,838,160 compared with 1 in 292,201,338 for Powerball.
Secondly, the Powerball jackpot is paid out as an annuity over 30 years rather than a one-off lump sum. This is no bad thing as it gives you a guaranteed income for many years, but it does mean that the initial boost to your bank balance will only be a fraction of the advertised amount. For example, win a jackpot of £300-400 million and your first payment may be around £10 million (lower than the minimum EuroMillions jackpot). If you win the EuroMillions jackpot you get it all in one go and could invest a large chunk of it yourself to yield an even higher return.
Looking beyond the jackpots, someone in the UK always wins £1 million in every draw on EuroMillions thanks to the Millionaire Maker. Powerball has yet to produce a UK millionaire in its first five UK draws. In fact, the highest Powerball prize so far has been £70,195 in the third tier. A UK EuroMillions player won £241,033 on Friday 31st July after matching five main numbers and one of the two Lucky Stars. Another EuroMillions player won £372,130 in the same category in the previous draw.
The cost to play Powerball is £4 per entry, significantly higher than EuroMillions’ £2.50 price point. If you had a spare £20 to spend on lottery tickets, you could buy eight EuroMillions lines but just five for Powerball.
Of all the participating EuroMillions countries, Powerball is only available in the UK at the moment. Ticket sales elsewhere should remain as strong as ever and help to drive up the jackpot.
It remains to be seen whether other EuroMillions nations join Powerball at some point in the future, but it is already an exciting time for lottery players in Europe. EuroMillions continues to offer phenomenal prizes every Tuesday and Friday night, with Superdraws and special events happening throughout the year. Check the latest results as soon as they are posted.