Nature
Struck by lightning
Odds
1 in 15,300
lifetime (US) · United States
What this means
Over a typical US lifetime you are far more likely to be struck by lightning than to win a major lottery jackpot — but still much less likely than dying in a car crash.
Methodology
NWS lifetime odds estimate based on ~40 years of US lightning casualty data and average lifespan assumptions. Yearly odds are roughly 1 in 1.2 million.
Updated 2026-01-15
Source
NOAA / National Weather Service ↗Share
Odds of being struck by lightning: 1 in 15,300 (lifetime (US)). — How Likely Is That? https://www.howlikelyisthat.com/odds/odds-of-being-struck-by-lightning
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