If you're thinking about trying your luck in the California lottery, here is data that may up your chances.
Location, location, location
Good news for lottery players in Southern California -- Los Angeles County has the most Powerball and Mega Millions wins by far than any other county in the state, according to an NBC News analysis of California Lottery data.
That's no surprise given counties with larger populations, like LA, tend to have more California Lottery Retailers.
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Which type of retailer is luckier?
Convenience stores typically connected to gas stations have sold the most winning Powerball and Mega Million tickets since 2021, according to NBC data analysts.
Convenience stores that do not sell gas, liquor stores and supermarkets follow in the types of retailers where most winning tickets were sold.
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Luckiest stores in SoCal?
Bluebird Liquor in Hawthorne ranks in the top five retailers for winning tickets in the state, having sold a total of eight winning tickets, including four Powerball and four Mega Millions, since 2021.
In LA County, retailers also have the highest median prize amounts for Powerball and Mega Millions. A lot of the big money corresponds with recent jackpot wins in Southern California.
Joe’s Service Center in Altadena has the highest median prize amount to date, having sold the state’s historic $2 billion Powerball ticket in November 2022.
Following closely is Las Palmitas Mini Market in downtown LA that sold a $1 billion Powerball ticket in July 2023.
Another hotspot is Primm Valley Lotto in Nipton, off the 15 Freeway between LA and Las Vegas, having sold 28 winning Powerball and 20 Mega Millions tickets between March 2021 and February 2024.
Powerball and Mega Millions Winning Ticket Retailers
Click a marker on the map to learn more about that retailer. Search for locations by clicking the search icon to the left.
It all comes down to one thing: luck
For Mega Millions, the odds of matching all six numbers are 1 in 302.6 million.
Powerball has slightly better odds with 1 in 292.2 million.
Draws for the almost $1.23 billion Powerball prize will begin Saturday night.
The estimated cash prize currently stands at $595.1 million. Powerball tickets are $2 per play. Tickets are sold in 45 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
