How Does Powerball Work? (2024)

If you’ve been wondering how to play Powerball, you’ve come to the right place. Powerball is easy to play. And there are MILLIONS of good reasons to get in the game.

In this article we'll cover:

  • Overview of the game
  • How to play
  • Can you play Powerball online?
  • How does Powerball work on Jackpocket?
  • What is the Powerball Power Play?
  • Odds of winning
  • Powerball drawing days
  • What happens if you win?
  • Lump sum vs annuity payout options
  • Can you win Powerball on Jackpocket?
  • List of Powerball states

Powerball Lottery Overview

Powerball is a multi-state lottery game that’s available in 45 states, Washington D.C., Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.

Cost: $2.00

Powerball Jackpots: Start at $20 million and are determined by ticket sales

Drawings: Mondays, Wednesday and Saturday at 10:59 pm ET

Overall odds of winning: 1 in 24.9

Biggest Powerball jackpot in history: $2.04 billion (November 2022)

Last jackpot won: The last Powerball jackpot was won in Ohio on July 4, 2024.

⚡️ Feeling inspired? Get in the game on the Jackpocket lottery appfor mobile or desktop.

How to Play Powerball

So how does Powerball work? You start by picking your Powerball numbers! Choose 5 regular numbers from 1–69 and 1 red Powerball number from 1–26. You can use the Quick Pick option or choose your own lucky numbers. If you were wondering how to win Powerball, hitting the jackpot means matching all 5 numbers (in any order) plus the Powerball.

Can you play Powerball online?

Yes! Looking for a Powerball app? Lottery fans in 16 states, Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico can order tickets for Powerball online plus other games in their location using the Jackpocket lottery app.

How does Powerball work with Jackpocket?

Tired of forgetting to get your tickets in time for a drawing? Jackpocket is a lottery courier app (think: Uber Eats for the lottery) allowing fans to conveniently order tickets for Powerball and other lottery games right from their phone. On Jackpocket, you pick your own Powerball numbers or Quick Pick, choose whether to add Power Play to your ticket and place your order. You can even join the Powerball Pool in supporting states, too!

Jackpocket then sends a scan of your lottery ticket for you to view in the app. After the drawing, Jackpocket checks your ticket against the winning numbers and notifies you automatically if you win a prize at any level. If you win a smaller prize, we will credit your Jackpocket account directly with your winnings. For any prize larger than $600, we will arrange to securely transfer your ticket to you so you can claim your winnings with your state lottery.

What is the Powerball Power Play?

For an extra $1 per game, you can add the Powerball Power Play to your ticket. This multiplies your prize — not including the jackpot — by up to ten times. The multiplier number is drawn and announced along with the winning numbers. Important note to remember: the 10X multiplier is only available for Powerball jackpots less than $150 million.

Now that you know how to play Powerball, let’s take a look at how much you can win.

Odds of Winning Powerball

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

Believe it or not, you can win a Powerball prize with just a single ball being drawn, so long as your matching number is the Powerball. Altogether, including hitting the jackpot, there are 9 ways you can win a Powerball prize. Matching 5 numbers without the Powerball will get you a cool $1 million while simply matching the Powerball number earns you $4. The good news is that your chances of winning any prize is 1 in 24.9.

A breakdown of prizes and odds for Powerball
MatchWinOdds
5 numbers + PowerballJackpot1 in 292,201,338
5 numbers$1,000,0001 in 11,688,053
4 numbers + Powerball$50,0001 in 931,001
4 numbers$10011 in 36,525.17
3 numbers + Powerball$1001 in 14,494.11
3 numbers$71 in 579.76
2 numbers + Powerball$711 in 701.33
1 number + Powerball$41 in 91.98
Powerball only$41 in 38.32

What days are the Powerball drawing?

The Powerball drawing occurs three times per week on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday at 10:59 PM EST. Interested in learning more about the history of these games? Learn about the Mega Millions and Powerball changes that happened in 2020.

What happens if you win Powerball?

If you bought your Powerball ticket in person from a lottery retailer, check your state lottery website for more information on how to claim your prize. It can vary by state.

Lucky for you, when you order your Powerball tickets on Jackpocket, we automatically alert you when you win! Smaller lottery prizes (usually up to $600) go straight to your Jackpocket account. For larger prizes, we arrange to have the ticket securely transferred to you so you can claim your prize from the state lottery.

Lump sum vs annuity payouts

How does Powerball work if you win the jackpot? If you win the Powerball jackpot, you get to choose how you want to be paid—either an annuity or in a lump sum payout.

The Powerball annuity is paid in 30 graduated payments over 29 years. Or you can go with the lump-sum option—a one-time payment that is equal to the amount of money required to be in the jackpot prize pool, on the day of the drawing, to fund the estimated jackpot annuity prize. When Powerball announces the estimated jackpot size before a drawing, they also include the size of the cash option.

Can you win Powerball on Jackpocket?

Over $450 million in lottery prizes have been won using Jackpocket to date. There have been 47 people who have won prizes worth $1 million or more. That includes 19 Powerball millionaires.

Winner winner: Learn exactly what happens if you win the lottery on Jackpocket

Powerball States

Ready to get your game on? Let’s see if you’re in a participating state. Here’s the full list states that offer Powerball:

  • Arizona*
  • Arkansas*
  • California
  • Connecticut
  • Colorado*
  • Delaware
  • District of Columbia*
  • Florida
  • Georgia
  • Idaho*
  • Illinois
  • Indiana
  • Iowa
  • Kansas
  • Kentucky
  • Louisiana
  • Maine*
  • Maryland
  • Massachusetts*
  • Michigan
  • Minnesota*
  • Mississippi
  • Missouri
  • Montana*
  • Nebraska*
  • New Hampshire*
  • New Jersey*
  • New Mexico*
  • New York*
  • North Carolina
  • North Dakota
  • Ohio*
  • Oklahoma
  • Oregon*
  • Pennsylvania
  • Puerto Rico*
  • Rhode Island
  • South Carolina
  • South Dakota
  • Tennessee
  • Texas*
  • U.S. Virgin Islands
  • Vermont
  • Virginia
  • Washington
  • West Virginia*
  • Wisconsin
  • Wyoming

*Jackpocket operates here!

Only Alabama, Alaska, Hawaii, Nevada and Utah do not have lotteries that offer Powerball.

Which state has the most Powerball jackpot wins?

Indiana has the most Powerball jackpot wins with 39 total. Curious about winners in your own state? Here's a breakdown of Powerball jackpot winners by state.

Is Powerball better to play than Mega Millions?

When it comes to choosing between Powerball and Mega Millions, consider odds, prize levels, and drawing frequency. For example, Mega Millions has slightly better odds of winning any prize level but Powerball has slightly higher odds of winning the jackpot. Here's everything you need to know about Powerball vs Mega Millions.

Get Your Powerball Ticket

Let's get you ready for the next Powerball drawing. Get the Jackpocket app, and choose those lucky numbers now that you know how to play Powerball!

How Does Powerball Work? (2024)

FAQs

How many numbers do you need to win a prize in Powerball? ›

How many Powerball numbers do you need to win a prize? You only need to match one number in Powerball to win a prize. However, that number must be the Powerball worth $4. Visit powerball.com for the entire prize chart.

Is there any strategy to Powerball? ›

Evenly distribute the numbers among odds and evens

Some Powerball veterans say that because there are an equal number of odd and even numbers for each possible pick in a Powerball string, it follows that the winning combination will tend to comprise an equal number of odd and even numbers.

Is there a formula to win Powerball? ›

Many players rely on a "quick pick" automated option when purchasing their tickets from a retailer and some consistently play routine "lucky" numbers. There is no wrong way to choose Powerball numbers. There's also no magic formula to pick the winning numbers.

Is there a secret to winning the Powerball? ›

There's no science to the lottery, so go ahead and pick your favorite numbers, Kapoor said. Nothing in the past or future affects each individual lottery drawing, what is known in mathematics as an “independent event.” Every time, you start afresh.

Does 2 numbers in Powerball win any money? ›

Match 2 white numbers + Powerball — $7. Match 1 white number + Powerball — $4. Powerball only — $4.

What do you win if you have 3 of the Powerball numbers? ›

3 numbers - $7 again.

How do I increase my chances of winning the Powerball? ›

  1. Mix Even & Odd Numbers. ...
  2. Split Between Low & High Numbers. ...
  3. Add Up Those Numbers. ...
  4. Buy More Than One Ticket. ...
  5. Don't Group Your Numbers Together. ...
  6. Don't Repeat Winning Numbers. ...
  7. Try Doing The Easy Pick Yourself.

What happens if you get all 5 numbers but not the Powerball? ›

Matching 5 numbers without the Powerball will get you a cool $1 million while simply matching the Powerball number earns you $4. The good news is that your chances of winning any prize is 1 in 24.9.

What is the best method of winning the Powerball? ›

If you want to boost your odds of picking the right numbers, here are some tips to keep in mind.
  • Purchase extra tickets.
  • Don't pick consecutive numbers.
  • Bet only on certain days.
  • Avoid picking numbers based on a pattern.
  • Double-check your tickets.
  • Final Thoughts.

What are the 5 most common Powerball numbers? ›

Here are the 10 most common numbers to be drawn on the five white balls over the past nearly eight years, according to LottoNumbers.com.
  • 61: Drawn 90 times.
  • 32: Drawn 89 times.
  • 63: Drawn 87 times.
  • 21: Drawn 86 times.
  • 36: Drawn 84 times.
  • 23: Drawn 82 times.
  • 69: Drawn 81 times.
  • 37: Drawn 79 times.
Oct 9, 2023

Can you predict Powerball numbers? ›

Can lottery or powerball numbers be predicted based on past draws? - Quora. No, they cannot because the drawings are truly random. Given time, patterns will emerge but these patterns do not govern which numbers come up in any given drawing.

Is there math behind the lottery? ›

Lottery mathematics is used to calculate probabilities of winning or losing a lottery game. It is based primarily on combinatorics, particularly the twelvefold way and combinations without replacement.

How do most Powerball winners pick their numbers? ›

13 Ways Lottery Players Choose Their Winning Numbers
  • Birthdays & Anniversaries. Many people choose numbers that hold personal significance, such as birthdays or special dates. ...
  • Lucky Numbers. ...
  • Going Random. ...
  • Family Member's Ages. ...
  • Random Patterns. ...
  • Dreams & Intuition. ...
  • Recurring Numbers. ...
  • Fortune Cookies.
Jun 24, 2024

Why is it so hard to win the Powerball? ›

Flashback: Powerball made the game harder to win in October 2015 when it added more white balls to the mix. Mega Millions changed its rules and odds in 2017. Changes to both lotteries were designed to create more possible number combinations, making the chances of winning more of a pipe dream.

Who won the lottery 14 times? ›

A man who devised a technique to repeatedly win the lottery has shared the method he used to win the jackpot 14 seperate times. Stefan Mandel, a Romanian economist and self-described “philosopher-mathematician,” was struggling to make ends meet in the early 1960s.

How many numbers do you need to mark for Powerball? ›

Select five numbers between 1 and 69 for the white balls, then select one number between 1 and 26 for the red Powerball. Choose your numbers on a play slip or let the lottery terminal randomly pick your numbers.

What combination of numbers do you need to win Powerball? ›

Players can select their numbers for themselves or opt for quick pick, and have their numbers selected for them. To win the jackpot, you must have the numbers of all five white balls correct and the Powerball.

Did anyone win tonight's Powerball? ›

There was no jackpot winner in California for this draw. But there are 40,977 winning tickets! Get your ticket for the next draw.

How many numbers should I pick for Powerball? ›

Experts suggest that you should add up the five numbers you pick and try to stay within a target range. The preferred range is between 140 and 240 after your five number are added together.

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