ATLANTA - As the Powerball jackpot climb into the stratosphere, many Americans are asking the same question: what are the real odds of winning it all? And how do those odds compare to other rare events — like getting struck by lightning, bowling a perfect game, or even becoming president of the United States?

Here's a look at the numbers and the odds:

What are the odds?

What we know:

The odds of winning Mega Millions are 1 in 290,472,336.

The odds of winning Powerball are 1 in 292,201,338.

To win, players must match all five drawn numbers and the additional "Powerball" or "Mega Ball."

Does buying more tickets help?

Yes — but not by much. Buying more tickets technically improves your chances, but the odds remain overwhelmingly long.

So, even if you buy 100 tickets versus 1 ti

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