Mega Millions and EuroMillions are international lottery games that offer huge jackpots. Each lottery also has secondary prize tiers for matching a lower combination of numbers.

The biggest appeal of lotteries like Mega Millions and EuroMillions is undoubtedly the high jackpots. Both games have had record-breaking jackpot amounts, with Mega Millions reaching $1.6 billion (approximately ZAR 30.4 billion) and EuroMillions reaching €240 million (approximately ZAR 4.8 billion).

As the saying goes, the devil is in the details, but when it comes to determining which lottery offers the best chances of winning, numbers don’t lie.

When comparing EuroMillions to Mega Millions, there are numerous differences in their prize structures and odds stand out.

Minimum jackpot amount: EuroMillions offers a minimum jackpot amount of €17 million (approximately ZAR 340 million), while Mega Millions starts with a slightly higher minimum jackpot of $20 million (approximately ZAR 380 million).

Winning the jackpot: EuroMillions provides better odds, with a 1 in 139,838,160 chance, as opposed to Mega Millions, which has longer odds at 1 in 302,575,350.

Second prize amount: For the second prize, EuroMillions offers a payout of approximately €303,798 (approximately ZAR 6,096,000), compared to Mega Millions’ prize of $1 million (approximately ZAR 19 million).

This detailed comparison highlights that while EuroMillions may offer better odds for certain prize tiers, Mega Millions attracts bettors with potentially larger jackpots. Ultimately, personal preference might depend on the balance one seeks between jackpot size and winning probability.

• To bet on the outcome of the EuroMillions lottery, bettors select 5 numbers from a set of 50 and 2 Lucky Star numbers from a separate set of 12.
• To bet on the outcome of the Mega Millions lottery, select 5 numbers from a pool of 70 and one Mega Number from a separate pool of 25.

If you’re wondering if you can bet on the outcome of the EuroMillions and Mega Millions on Lotto247.co.za, the answer is a resounding, “YES.” The reason being, you are placing a fixed odds bet on the outcome of the Mega Millions or EuroMillions draw. We also provide various safe and secure payment options, making deposits and withdrawals fast and easy. After every draw, we will email you the results of the lottery game that you placed a bet on.

Mega Millions

The Mega Millions draws take place every Tuesday and Friday night at 23:00* ET in the US, which is on Wednesday and Saturday at 5:00AM SAST *(Keeping in mind the time difference from summer to winter times and vice versa).

EuroMillions

The EuroMillions draw takes place every Tuesday and Friday night in Paris at 21:00 SAST *(Keeping in mind the time difference from summer to winter times and vice versa).

EuroMillions: In the event that the jackpot is not won, it will roll over to the next draw and be added to the jackpot fund for the following draw. EuroMillions has a jackpot cap of €250 million. Once the top prize reaches this mark, it cannot grow any higher and special rules come into effect. The jackpot can only stay at its cap for five draws. In the fifth draw, all of the jackpot money has to be given away, whether someone matches five numbers and both Lucky Stars or not. If no one does win the jackpot in that fifth draw, the entire amount is shared between those who won in the next winning tier below.

Mega Millions: Mega Millions has no cap on its jackpot. This means that there is no limit to how high the Mega Millions jackpot can grow.

Visit the EuroMillions results page and the Mega Millions results page to see if your lucky numbers matched those drawn. All punters on Loto247.com who placed a bet will receive a results email notifying them of the latest winning numbers and any matches they have.

Choosing which game is better between the EuroMillions or Mega Millions can be a difficult task. Both games are continuously evolving to offer even larger jackpots. However, when it comes to the highest jackpots ever recorded for either game, Mega Millions far outperforms EuroMillions.

The Mega Millions jackpot reached $1.602 billion (approximately ZAR 30.4 billion) on August 8, 2023. In comparison, the highest EuroMillions jackpot on December 8, 2023 was €240 million (approximately ZAR 4.8 billion).

Top 10 Mega Millions jackpots

$ 1.602Billion – 1 winner, 8 August 2023
$ 1.537Billion – 1 winner, 23 October 2018
$ 1.348Billion – 1 winner, 13 January 2023
$ 1.337Billion – 1 winner, 29 July 2022
$ 1.128Billion – 1 winner, 26 March 2024
$ 1.05Billion – 1 winner, 22 January 2021
$ 810Million – 1 winner, 10 September 2024
$ 656Million – 3 winners, 30 March 2012
$ 648Million – 2 winners, 17 December 2013
$ 552Million – 1 winner, 4 June 2024

Top 10 EuroMillions jackpots

€240 Million – 1 winner, December 2023
€230 Million – 1 winner, Friday 8th July
€220 Million – 1 winner, October 2021
€215 Million – 1 winner, May 2020
€213 Million – 1 winner, June 2024
€210 Million – 1 winner, February 2021
€200 Million – 1 winner, December 2020
€193 Million – 1 winner, September 2022
€190 Million – 1 winner, October 2019
€190 Million – 1 winner, August 2012

The Mega Millions lottery has the larger jackpot of the two games and it is also worth noting that the American lottery game has the world record for the largest single-ticket win.

The EuroMillions lottery game has 13 different prize tiers, whereas the American lottery has nine (9) prize tiers.

Remember, on Lotto247.co.za, South Africans can also place bets on mini versions of these exciting games, such as Mega Millions Mini Lotto and EuroMillions Mini Lotto.

Choosing between EuroMillions and Mega Millions can be a tough decision, as both games offer not only incredible jackpots but also a range of enticing non-jackpot prizes.

EuroMillions, often features jackpots that can climb into hundreds of millions of euros, with draws taking place twice a week. On the other hand, Mega Millions is known for its massive jackpots that have occasionally surpassed the billion-dollar mark, with draws held every Tuesday and Friday.

While EuroMillions offers better odds of winning smaller prizes, Mega Millions is famous for its incredible jackpots. Ultimately, the decision of which game to place your bets on comes down to personal preference, considering factors such as jackpot size, winning probability, and the appeal of each game’s additional prize tiers.

Whether you’re enticed by the thrill of chasing a massive jackpot or the appeal of more frequent victories, betting on the outcome of these games provides an exhilarating experience.

Just a reminder, when you bet at Lotto247 you are placing a fixed odds bet on the outcome of the lottery.