US Powerball is the American lottery behind the largest jackpots in world history, including the record $2.04 billion won in California in November 2022. You pick 5 numbers from 1-69 plus one Powerball from 1-26, draws are held Monday, Wednesday and Saturday nights, a standard play costs US$2, and the jackpot starts at an estimated US$20 million and rolls until someone wins it.
How does Powerball work?
Three times a week, five white balls are drawn from a drum of 69 and one red Powerball from a separate drum of 26. Your play wins a prize if it matches enough of them - from the $4 minimum (matching just the Powerball) up to the jackpot (all five white balls plus the Powerball). If nobody hits the jackpot, it rolls over to the next draw with no upper cap, which is how Powerball reaches its billion-dollar headlines.
Powerball: basic information
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Draw nights | Monday, Wednesday and Saturday at 10:59 pm Eastern Time |
| Number format | 5 numbers from 1-69 + 1 Powerball from 1-26 |
| Ticket price | US$2 per play (US$3 with Power Play; Double Play +US$1 where offered) |
| Starting jackpot | Estimated US$20 million, rolling with no cap |
| Jackpot odds | 1 in 292,201,338 per play |
| Prize divisions | 9 (any-prize odds about 1 in 25) |
| Record jackpot | $2.04 billion - November 2022, California |
How to play Powerball (step by step)
- Choose 5 numbers from 1 to 69, or take a quick pick and let the terminal choose.
- Choose 1 Powerball number from 1 to 26. It comes from its own drum, so it can duplicate one of your white-ball numbers.
- Decide on add-ons. Power Play (+US$1) multiplies non-jackpot prizes; Double Play (+US$1, in participating states) enters your numbers in a second drawing with a US$10 million top prize.
- Buy before the cut-off - at any US retailer, through your state lottery's online platform where available, or from abroad through a lottery messenger service.
- Check the draw at 10:59 pm ET on Monday, Wednesday or Saturday and claim within your jurisdiction's deadline.
Powerball rules worth knowing
Ticket sales close before the draw - usually one to two hours, varying by state. Power Play draws a 2×, 3×, 4×, 5× or 10× multiplier (the 10× only when the advertised jackpot is US$150 million or less), and it always doubles the match-5 second prize to US$2 million regardless of the multiplier drawn. California is the exception on add-ons: its prizes are pari-mutuel by law, so Power Play isn't offered there. Jackpot winners choose between a 30-payment annuity or a smaller lump-sum cash option, and US federal (plus often state) tax comes off the top - the advertised figure is the annuity before tax.
Powerball prize divisions
Nine ways to win, with fixed prizes below the jackpot:
| Match | Odds (per play) | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| 5 + Powerball | 1 in 292,201,338 | Jackpot (shared if multiple winners) |
| 5 | 1 in 11,688,054 | $1,000,000 |
| 4 + Powerball | 1 in 913,129 | $50,000 |
| 4 | 1 in 36,525 | $100 |
| 3 + Powerball | 1 in 14,494 | $100 |
| 3 | 1 in 580 | $7 |
| 2 + Powerball | 1 in 701 | $7 |
| 1 + Powerball | 1 in 92 | $4 |
| Powerball only | 1 in 38 | $4 |
The full payout mathematics — including how Power Play changes each tier — is in our Powerball odds and prizes guide.
What does a Powerball ticket cost?
US$2 per play at face value; US$3 with Power Play; US$4 with both add-ons. Online prices vary by route — official state platforms sell at face value, while messenger services for international players charge more per line. See the full breakdown in how much a Powerball ticket costs, and every legal way to buy Powerball tickets online.
The biggest Powerball jackpots ever
$2.04 billion - November 2022, a single ticket in California (the world record)
$1.765 billion - October 2023, California
$1.586 billion - January 2016, split between three tickets
Powerball around the world
The American game inspired namesakes elsewhere — most notably Australian Powerball, a separate Thursday lottery with a 7/35 + 1/20 format, and New Zealand's Powerball add-on. They share nothing but the name: different draws, different odds, different prizes. If you searched for the Australian game, our Australian Powerball guide covers it in full.
Can you play US Powerball from outside the United States?
Yes. You don't need to be a US citizen or resident to win — you need an official ticket bought inside a US jurisdiction, which is what lottery messenger services provide: local agents buy the ticket and scan it to your account before the draw. We publish dedicated how-to-play guides for players in the United Kingdom, India, Canada, the Philippines, South Africa, Nigeria, Brazil, Germany, Ireland, Mexico and Spain.
Play the world's biggest lotteries
Buy official tickets online through a licensed operator - same numbers, same jackpots.
Frequently asked questions
What are the rules of Powerball?
Pick 5 numbers from 1–69 and one Powerball from 1–26; draws are Monday, Wednesday and Saturday at 10:59 pm ET. Match at least the Powerball to win the $4 minimum; match all six to win the jackpot. A play costs US$2, with optional Power Play and Double Play add-ons at US$1 each.
How do you play Powerball online?
US residents can buy through their state lottery's official platform where online sales exist, or a licensed courier app. Players outside the US use a lottery messenger service, which buys an official ticket locally and scans it to your account. All routes enter the identical draw.
What time is the Powerball drawing?
10:59 pm Eastern Time every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday, broadcast from Tallahassee, Florida. Ticket sales cut off earlier — commonly one to two hours before the draw, depending on the state or platform.
Do you win anything with one Powerball number?
Matching just the Powerball itself wins $4 — odds of about 1 in 38. One white ball alone wins nothing; one white ball plus the Powerball also pays $4. The nine-division table above shows every winning combination.
How much does Powerball cost to play?
US$2 per play. Power Play costs US$1 more and multiplies non-jackpot prizes; Double Play costs US$1 more where offered and enters a second draw with a US$10 million top prize. A line with both add-ons is US$4.
Is US Powerball the same as Australian Powerball?
No — they only share the name. The US game is 5/69 + 1/26 with draws three times a week and the biggest jackpots on earth; the Australian game is 7/35 + 1/20, drawn Thursdays, with better odds and tax-free prizes for Australian residents.