Lottery Number Lab Odds, drawing history and probability for Mega Millions and Powerball

Mega Millions archive

Mega Millions winning numbers for 2018

104 bundled Mega Millions drawings in 2018, from January 2, 2018 to December 28, 2018, with year-specific frequency, sum, odd/even and consecutive-pair analysis from the bundled draw record.

Dates are Eastern Time drawing dates · 5 of 70 + 1 of 25 · $2 per play

Year at a glance

Throughout this year Mega Millions used five white balls from 1–70 and a Mega Ball from 1–25, drawn Tuesday and Friday evenings (ET).

Drawings
104

January 2, 2018 → December 28, 2018

Average white-ball sum
172.1

2.4 below the observed archive average of 174.5 (933 drawings)

Sum range
49 – 275

Low May 4, 2018 · High July 17, 2018

Consecutive pairs
27 (26.0%)

Observed archive rate 25.9% (933 drawings)

Top odd/even split
3:2

38 drawings (36.5%)

Top Mega Ball
23

8×

Every Mega Millions drawing in 2018

How to interpret these 2018 figures

2018 is a past calendar year relative to the snapshot reference date October 8, 2026. This page describes the 104 bundled Mega Millions drawings from January 2, 2018 through December 28, 2018. That span is what the archive holds. It is not a claim that every official drawing of the year was captured.

The five white balls in these 2018 drawings averaged 172.1. The observed average across the bundled archive of 933 drawings from October 31, 2017 through October 6, 2026 is 174.5. The 2018 average is 2.4 points below that observed archive average. The archive average is the mean of those recorded drawings, not a theoretical mean of the ball matrix.

A uniform mathematical expectation for one specified white ball in this year's record is about 7.4 appearances (104 × 5 / 70). That expectation is not the observed archive average. White ball 1 led with 16 appearances (15.4% of these drawings). The lowest count was 2, shared by number 36. The tally describes these drawings only and does not change the odds of a later drawing.

The most common odd/even split in 2018 was 3 odd / 2 even, in 38 drawings (36.5%). Consecutive white-ball pairs appeared in 27 of 104 drawings (26.0%). The observed rate in the bundled archive of 933 drawings is 25.9%. These are counts, not a test of whether the difference is ordinary.

The most frequent Mega Ball in 2018 was 23, drawn 8 times. Each Mega Millions drawing is an independent trial. Hot, cold, and overdue labels summarize records; they do not change the odds on the next ticket. Verify any real ticket with your state lottery.

Frequency — white balls and Mega Ball

With 104 drawings and five white balls each, the mathematical expectation for one specified white number is about 7.4 appearances (104 × 5 / 70). That is an expectation for this year's drawing count, not the observed archive average. Rankings below break ties by ball number ascending so a rebuild always produces the same order.

Five most-drawn white balls in 2018 (ties broken by lower number first).
RankWhite ballTimes drawnShare of 2018 drawings
#1116×15.4%
#22814×13.5%
#3213×12.5%
#47012×11.5%
#53111×10.6%

Least-drawn white balls in 2018 all sat at 2×: 36.

Most frequent Mega Ball values in 2018.
RankMega BallTimes drawnShare of 2018
#1238×7.7%
#297×6.7%
#316×5.8%
#4116×5.8%
#5206×5.8%

Frequency is a rear-view mirror. A number that led 2018 has no better chance in the next drawing — see hot and cold numbers tested and independent trials.

Sums and odd/even distribution

The lowest white-ball sum of 2018 was 49 on May 4, 2018:

040510121821

The highest was 275 on July 17, 2018 — a spread of 226 points:

404161666712

Odd/even split of the five white balls across all 104 drawings in 2018.
Odd:even splitDrawingsShare of year
3 odd / 2 even3836.5%
2 odd / 3 even3634.6%
1 odd / 4 even1514.4%
4 odd / 1 even98.7%
5 odd / 0 even43.8%
0 odd / 5 even21.9%
Measure2018Observed archive (933 drawings, October 31, 2017 – October 6, 2026)
Drawings104933
Average sum172.1174.5
Drawings with consecutive numbers27 (26.0%)25.9%
Drawings repeating a ball from the previous one33.0%32.9%
All five balls in the lower half33.2% of drawings

Consecutive-number pairs

27 of 104 drawings (26.0%) included at least one consecutive white-ball pair (for example 14–15). The observed rate in the bundled archive (933 drawings, October 31, 2017 – October 6, 2026) is 25.9%. That comparison is a count, not a test of the difference. Consecutive pairs are not a signal to seek or avoid on a ticket.

Every Mega Millions drawing in 2018

Mega Millions results, newest first. The Mega Ball is the final, highlighted ball. Always verify a ticket with your state lottery — this table is a convenience copy, not an official record.
Drawing date (ET)Winning numbersSumOdd/evenLow/high
December 28, 20180910253738211193:23:2
December 25, 20180208424350061451:42:3
December 21, 20181013616270052162:32:3
December 18, 20181322326069091962:33:2
December 14, 20180522264349231453:23:2
December 11, 20180438395459121942:31:4
December 7, 20180410203357131242:34:1
December 4, 20182831414250041922:32:3
November 30, 20182528404363191993:22:3
November 27, 20181224374257181722:32:3
November 23, 20180710303359231393:24:1
November 20, 20181016314266101651:43:2
November 16, 20183336636869162693:21:4
November 13, 20183446576569112713:21:4
November 9, 20180814275767051733:23:2
November 6, 20182834375669122242:32:3
November 2, 20180323284662161622:33:2
October 30, 20182031394649231853:22:3
October 26, 20180128616263052153:22:3
October 23, 20180528626570052302:32:3
October 19, 20181523536570072264:12:3
October 16, 20180345496169092275:01:4
October 12, 20180424466170072051:42:3
October 9, 20182022395460181951:42:3
October 5, 20182728324169121973:23:2
October 2, 20180222293134011182:35:0
September 28, 20183945525659152513:20:5
September 25, 20180816324861121651:43:2
September 21, 20180102115264091302:33:2
September 18, 20183132436368172373:22:3
September 14, 20182330404366132022:32:3
September 11, 20181530516267192253:22:3
September 7, 20180810415468101811:42:3
September 4, 20180207253544031133:24:1
August 31, 20180718293245171313:24:1
August 28, 20180320333441201313:24:1
August 24, 2018010613184908873:24:1
August 21, 20181416193857111442:33:2
August 17, 20180131324756031673:23:2
August 14, 20181126444546111722:32:3
August 10, 2018010312224206802:34:1
August 7, 20180213152162021133:24:1
August 3, 20180928305460021811:43:2
July 31, 20181215356469091953:23:2
July 27, 20180132404963201853:22:3
July 24, 2018010204192920553:25:0
July 20, 20180114304462011511:43:2
July 17, 20184041616667122753:20:5
July 13, 20182122395968022093:22:3
July 10, 20180117285670141722:33:2
July 6, 20180210465056161640:52:3
July 3, 20181335454968232104:12:3
June 29, 20180232474968231982:32:3
June 26, 20181725293960191704:13:2
June 22, 2018020611274420902:34:1
June 19, 20181113286570141873:23:2
June 15, 20180111374751061475:02:3
June 12, 2018010305087003873:24:1
June 8, 20181430334456131771:43:2
June 5, 20182233414852041962:32:3
June 1, 20180524526266172091:42:3
May 29, 20180211555867021933:22:3
May 25, 20181114516468252082:32:3
May 22, 20181617213648091382:33:2
May 18, 20180926536466112182:32:3
May 15, 20182134444961212093:22:3
May 11, 20181438405370222151:41:4
May 8, 20180815396467131933:22:3
May 4, 2018040510121821491:45:0
May 1, 20180207205570011542:33:2
April 27, 20180229386366111982:32:3
April 24, 20180319313248101333:24:1
April 20, 20180115183245041113:24:1
April 17, 20181234444765222022:32:3
April 13, 20180809324259101502:33:2
April 10, 20180513314353201455:03:2
April 6, 20181633515467202213:22:3
April 3, 20180429394262141762:32:3
March 30, 20181128314659011753:23:2
March 27, 20180725435659131904:12:3
March 23, 20180408235359171473:23:2
March 20, 20181438516470092371:41:4
March 16, 20180113263352111253:24:1
March 13, 20180630586061172151:42:3
March 9, 20180717184666221542:33:2
March 6, 20180104263539221053:24:1
March 2, 20182428426064082180:52:3
February 27, 20181017213843231293:23:2
February 23, 20180711131958091084:14:1
February 20, 20181719232443141264:14:1
February 16, 20181438485358162111:41:4
February 13, 20180512154649011273:23:2
February 9, 20182834414647141962:32:3
February 6, 20181417254858251622:33:2
February 2, 2018010414174004762:34:1
January 30, 20182941424957242184:11:4
January 26, 20181016273843011342:33:2
January 23, 20180206303155071242:34:1
January 19, 20180317234966231584:13:2
January 16, 20180311232959181255:04:1
January 12, 20181718334660241742:33:2
January 9, 20181629316567232084:13:2
January 5, 20182830395970102262:32:3
January 2, 20180142476470222242:31:4

Source and methodology

Counts on this page are computed from the site's bundled Mega Millions draw file for calendar year 2018 only (Eastern Time drawing dates). Matrix context: Throughout this year Mega Millions used five white balls from 1–70 and a Mega Ball from 1–25, drawn Tuesday and Friday evenings (ET). Full method and correction policy: Methodology. Draw snapshot last refreshed October 8, 2026. Always verify a ticket with your state lottery — this page is a convenience copy, not an official record.

These results are a convenience copy of public data and may be delayed or incorrect. Never claim a prize or discard a ticket based on this page — only your state lottery can validate a ticket. Nothing here is a prediction or a recommendation to play; lottery drawings are independent random events. 18+ (21+ in some states). Full disclaimer.

Related years, guides and tools

Sources

Figures on this page are computed from the published game rules and the drawing record. These are the documents they are checked against — see our methodology and corrections policy for how that is done.