Most lottery players focus on picking the right numbers.
Very few think about something that could cost them hundreds of millions of dollars: which day of the week they buy their ticket.
Here’s why it matters — and what the data actually shows.
📊 The Draw Day Data: Powerball
Powerball holds drawings three times per week: Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday. Here’s what the historical data shows:
| Draw Day | Jackpots Won | Total Winners |
|---|---|---|
| Saturday | 189 | 611,179,192 |
| Wednesday | 174 | 561,682,122 |
| Monday | 9 | 138,528,837 |
Source: Official Powerball winner statistics through 2025
Saturday draws have approximately 50 million more total winners than Wednesday draws.
Note: Monday draws were only added in August 2021, so they have less data — but this also means they currently have the least competition.
🤔 Why Saturdays Have More Players
Several factors drive the Saturday surge:
Wednesdays are the opposite: mid-week, people are busy, less media hype, fewer office pools buying.
💰 The Split Problem: Real Examples
When multiple tickets match all winning numbers, the jackpot is divided equally. This isn’t theoretical — it happens:
Two winners in Missouri and Texas had to split the jackpot. Instead of $1.8 billion, each took home $893 million.
Three tickets in California, Florida, and Tennessee split the prize three ways.
Edwin Castro was the sole winner. He didn’t have to share with anyone — the entire $2.04 billion (largest ever) was his.
🎱 Mega Millions: Tuesday vs Friday
Mega Millions drawings occur every Tuesday and Friday at 11:00 PM ET. Similar patterns apply:
Friday draws tend to have more players because: start of the weekend, more media attention, people buying with their Friday paycheck.
Tuesday draws tend to have fewer players because: mid-week when people are busier, less publicity and hype.
📅 Monthly Patterns
The data also shows interesting month-by-month patterns:
| Month | Jackpots Won | Total Winners |
|---|---|---|
| January | 28 | 164,920,944 |
| June | 38 | 75,248,770 |
| October | 29 | 131,278,123 |
January has the most total winners — New Year’s optimism and holiday gift money. June has the fewest total winners despite having more jackpots won.
🎯 How to Apply This
If you’re going to play anyway, consider these strategies:
📌 The Bottom Line
Let’s be clear: your mathematical odds of winning are exactly the same whether you play Saturday, Wednesday, or Monday.
The lottery machines don’t care what day it is.
But the NUMBER of other players absolutely affects whether you’ll have to share your prize.
If your goal is to maximize your expected payout, playing on lower-competition days makes strategic sense.
📌 Data sourced from official Powerball winner statistics. Your mathematical odds of winning remain the same regardless of draw day. Past patterns don’t guarantee future results. Play responsibly.
Sources: Powerball.net, official lottery records. Last updated: December 2025.
Andrew Brooks is a qualified writer and researcher with experience producing clear, trustworthy content on topics such as personal finance, lifestyle optimization, consumer insights, productivity, and informed decision-making. With an approachable yet professional tone, he focuses on turning complex information into practical, easy-to-understand guidance that helps readers make smarter choices with confidence.