EuroMillions or Powerball? A UK Player’s Guide to the Two Big Jackpots
Since July, UK players can choose between two giant jackpot games on The National Lottery. They look similar, but they work very differently, especially when it comes to how the jackpot is paid.
For years, EuroMillions was the UK’s big-jackpot game. Then, on 21 July 2026, The National Lottery launched Powerball, the first time the American game has been sold outside the United States. UK players now share the same jackpot as players in 45 US states.
Here’s how the two compare, line by line.
EuroMillions vs Powerball at a glance
| EuroMillions | Powerball (UK) | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per line | £2.50, UK Millionaire Maker included | £4 |
| Draws (UK time) | Tuesday and Friday, 8.45pm | Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday, around 4am |
| Ticket sales close | 7.30pm on draw day | 11.55pm the night before |
| Jackpot odds | 1 in 139,838,160 | 1 in 292,201,338 |
| Starting jackpot | €17 million, capped at €250 million | £12 million, no cap |
| How the jackpot is paid | Tax-free lump sum | Over 30 years, no lump-sum option |
| Fixed £1 million prize | One UK Millionaire Maker code wins every draw | Match 5 main numbers |
| Time to claim | 180 days | 180 days |
What the differences really mean
The odds. A EuroMillions line is roughly twice as likely to hit the jackpot as a Powerball line. It’s also cheaper: £10 buys four EuroMillions lines, or two Powerball lines with £2 left over.
The size of the jackpot. EuroMillions stops growing at €250 million. Powerball has no cap, which is why its jackpot can climb into the hundreds of millions and beyond.
How the jackpot is paid. This is the biggest difference. A EuroMillions jackpot is paid as one tax-free lump sum. A UK Powerball jackpot is paid in 30 annual instalments, and there is no option to take it as cash. If the winner dies before the 30 years are up, the remaining money goes to their estate.
Why the pound figure looks smaller. The US jackpot is advertised in dollars, before tax and as a 30-year total. The UK figure is The National Lottery’s estimate of what a winner would actually receive over 30 years after UK tax, calculated at the highest rate. The two numbers aren’t directly comparable.
The £1 million prizes. Every EuroMillions line bought in the UK includes a UK Millionaire Maker code, and one code wins £1 million in every draw. In Powerball, matching the five main numbers pays a fixed £1 million, more than the $1 million a US player gets for the same result.
Which one suits you?
There’s no better game, only different ones. EuroMillions offers better odds, a lower price and the whole jackpot at once. Powerball offers the chance of a much bigger, uncapped jackpot, paid in 30 annual instalments.
Whichever you choose, every combination has the same chance of winning, and no system can change that. Set a budget, only spend what you can afford and remember you must be 18 or over to play. Free, confidential help is available 24/7 from the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133.