The Luckiest Lottery Numbers in Powerball and Mega Millions, Revealed
The Powerball and Mega Millions lotteries have turned ordinary Americans into millionaires overnight. And while the outcome is always up to chance, it’s hard to ignore the thrill of diving into the data to see which numbers have historically appeared most often.
With jackpots in both games frequently soaring into the hundreds of millions, the team at VegasInsider analyzed every Powerball draw since 1997 and every Mega Millions draw since 2010 to uncover the luckiest numbers of all time.
Most Frequently Drawn Powerball Numbers
Digging through decades of draws, some Powerball numbers consistently rise to the top. Sitting firmly in first place is number 20, which has appeared an impressive 396 times. Close behind are 23 (382 times), 14 (380 times), and 2 (374 times).
Here are the ten most frequently drawn numbers in Powerball history:
| Rank | Number | Times Drawn |
| 1 | 20 | 396 |
| 2 | 23 | 382 |
| 3 | 14 | 380 |
| 4 | 2 | 374 |
| 5 | 19 | 370 |
| 6 | 16 | 368 |
| 7 | 21 | 366 |
| 8 | 5 | 364 |
| 8 | 9 | 364 |
| 8 | 12 | 364 |
These stats don’t serve as predictions—but they do show which numbers have been the most active across thousands of draws.
Least Frequently Drawn Powerball Numbers
While some Powerball numbers seem to show up again and again, others have spent decades barely appearing at all. At the very bottom of the list is number 65, which has been drawn just 81 times in Powerball history.
Not far behind are 60 (85 times), 68 (93 times), and 66 (96 times)—making them some of the rarest Powerball numbers across thousands of draws.
Here are the ten least frequently drawn numbers in Powerball history:
| Rank | Number | Times Drawn |
| 1 | 65 | 81 |
| 2 | 60 | 85 |
| 3 | 68 | 93 |
| 4 | 66 | 96 |
| 5 | 67 | 98 |
| 6 | 63 | 105 |
| 7 | 62 | 107 |
| 8 | 64 | 109 |
| 9 | 69 | 111 |
| 10 | 61 | 118 |
These numbers aren’t “due” to hit (Powerball draws are random) but they do highlight which numbers have historically been the least active over the long run.
Most Frequently Drawn Mega Millions Numbers
In the Mega Millions game, number 10 claims the title as the most frequently drawn ball, appearing 224 times since 2010. It’s followed closely by 11 (222 times), 3 (214 times), 14 (203 times), and 4 (202 times).
Here’s a look at the ten luckiest numbers in Mega Millions:
| Rank | Number | Times Drawn |
| 1 | 10 | 224 |
| 2 | 11 | 222 |
| 3 | 3 | 214 |
| 4 | 14 | 203 |
| 5 | 4 | 202 |
| 6 | 2 | 198 |
| 6 | 6 | 198 |
| 8 | 9 | 197 |
| 9 | 20 | 195 |
| 10 | 15 | 194 |
Least Frequently Drawn Mega Millions Numbers
While some Mega Millions numbers seem to appear constantly, others have been extremely rare across the game’s history. Sitting at the very bottom is number 72, which has been drawn just 20 times. Close behind are 71 (22 times) and 75 (25 times)—making them some of the most elusive numbers in the dataset.
Here are the ten least frequently drawn numbers in Mega Millions history:
| Rank | Number | Times Drawn |
| 1 | 72 | 20 |
| 2 | 71 | 22 |
| 3 | 75 | 25 |
| 4 | 74 | 30 |
| 5 | 73 | 31 |
| 6 | 67 | 66 |
| 7 | 65 | 72 |
| 8 | 60 | 75 |
| 9 | 63 | 78 |
| 10 | 61 | 81 |
The Best Possible Ticket?
If you’re curious about building a ticket based purely on frequency, here are the most frequently drawn numbers in segmented by individual balls:
🎟️ Best Powerball Ticket:
- White Ball 1: 1 (251 winning appearances)
- White Ball 2: 16 (127 winning appearances)
- White Ball 3: 26 (114 winning appearances)
- White Ball 4: 39 (120 winning appearances)
- White Ball 5: 49 (147 winning appearances)
- Powerball: 20 (117 winning appearances)
🎟️ Best Mega Millions Ticket:
- Mega Ball: 9 (82 winning appearances)
- White Ball 1: 2 (131 winning appearances)
- White Ball 2: 22 (61 winning appearances)
- White Ball 3: 31 (63 winning appearances)
- White Ball 4: 46 (61 winning appearances)
- White Ball 5: 70 (77 winning appearances)
What This Means (and What It Doesn’t)
While these patterns are fun to analyze, they don’t increase your chances of winning. Every draw is a clean slate, and the odds remain the same. But if you’re a stats lover—or just curious about number trends—these insights offer an entertaining glimpse into lottery history.
Think of this as a scorecard, not a strategy.
Methodology
- Data for Powerball includes every draw from 1997 to present
- Data for Mega Millions includes every draw from 2010 to present
- Sourced from the official websites for each lottery
- Analysis correct as of December 17, 2025
- You can find the full dataset here
Punters and bettors can also explore our best online casinos and best sweepstakes casinos pages for more ways to play the odds.