How does Powerball work?
Powerball is one drawing shared by every lottery that sells it: 45 states, Washington DC, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands. Since July 2026 tickets have also been sold in the United Kingdom, whose players feed the same jackpot (they have their own lower-tier prizes). The game is run by the Multi-State Lottery Association, and the drawings take place at the Florida Lottery's studio in Tallahassee.
Each drawing uses two machines. Five white balls come out of a drum holding 69, and the red Powerball comes out of a separate drum of 26. Because the drums are separate, the same number can turn up as a white ball and as the Powerball in one drawing.
Order doesn't matter for the white balls. If you played 4, 18, 22, 37, 60 and the draw comes out 60, 37, 22, 18, 4, you matched all five. The red number on your ticket only counts against the red ball drawn.
Every drawing the jackpot isn't won, it rolls over and grows. After someone wins, it resets to a $20 million starting estimate. Our piece on why Powerball jackpots get so large explains how it reaches the billions.
How do you play, step by step?
- Take a Powerball playslip at a lottery retailer, or ask for a Quick Pick and let the terminal choose numbers at random. Quick Pick costs nothing extra.
- On a playslip, mark five numbers from 1 to 69 and one Powerball from 1 to 26 in each play area you want to use.
- Decide on add-ons. Power Play is $1 more per play and multiplies non-jackpot prizes. Double Play, sold by 30 of the participating lotteries, is another $1 and enters the same numbers in a second drawing held right after the main one.
- Pay $2 per play, plus any add-ons, and check the draw date printed on the ticket. Sales close one to two hours before the drawing, depending on the state.
- Sign the back of the ticket. Until it's signed, whoever holds it can try to claim it.
- Check your numbers after the drawing and keep any ticket that matched the Powerball, even alone.
Several states also sell Powerball online or through approved courier apps. Our guide to playing online lists where.
What does each Powerball prize pay?
There are nine prize tiers. Apart from the jackpot, each pays a fixed amount everywhere except California, where lower-tier prizes are pari-mutuel and depend on sales and the number of winners (here's why).
| Match | Prize | With Power Play | Odds per play |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 white + Powerball | Jackpot | Jackpot | 1 in 292,201,338 |
| 5 white | $1,000,000 | $2,000,000 | 1 in 11,688,054 |
| 4 white + Powerball | $50,000 | $100,000 to $500,000 | 1 in 913,129 |
| 4 white | $100 | $200 to $1,000 | 1 in 36,525 |
| 3 white + Powerball | $100 | $200 to $1,000 | 1 in 14,494 |
| 3 white | $7 | $14 to $70 | 1 in 580 |
| 2 white + Powerball | $7 | $14 to $70 | 1 in 701 |
| 1 white + Powerball | $4 | $8 to $40 | 1 in 92 |
| Powerball only | $4 | $8 to $40 | 1 in 38 |
The overall odds of winning any prize are 1 in 24.87. Most of those wins come from the two $4 tiers, so a typical "win" just gets back twice what one play cost.
What does Power Play add?
Before each drawing a multiplier of 2x, 3x, 4x, 5x or 10x is selected. If you paid for Power Play, every non-jackpot prize is multiplied by it. The 10x multiplier is only in play when the advertised jackpot is $150 million or less. The second prize is the exception to the arithmetic: with Power Play, matching five white balls pays $2 million no matter which multiplier comes up. The Power Play guide covers whether it's worth the dollar.
How is the jackpot paid?
A jackpot winner chooses between an annuity, paid as 30 payments over 29 years that rise by 5% a year, and a lump-sum cash payment. The headline jackpot is the annuity figure. The cash option is the money actually sitting in the prize pool to fund that annuity, so it is considerably smaller, and the gap moves with interest rates. Both figures are before federal and state tax. See lump sum vs annuity and how lottery taxes work.
Winning tickets must be claimed in the state where they were bought. Deadlines run from 90 days to a year depending on the state, so check yours in our claim deadline guide.
Cómo se juega el Powerball (en español)
Respuesta rápida: elija cinco números del 1 al 69 y un Powerball rojo del 1 al 26. Cada jugada cuesta $2. Los sorteos son los lunes, miércoles y sábados a las 10:59 p.m., hora del Este.
Para ganar el premio mayor hay que acertar los seis números. Si solo acierta el Powerball rojo, gana $4. Hay nueve niveles de premios, y la probabilidad de ganar alguno es de 1 en 24.87. Los cinco números blancos pueden salir en cualquier orden.
Por $1 más por jugada, la opción Power Play multiplica los premios que no son el premio mayor. Si prefiere no elegir, pida un Quick Pick y la terminal escogerá los números al azar sin costo adicional. Firme el boleto por detrás en cuanto lo compre: un boleto sin firmar lo puede cobrar quien lo tenga.
Puede consultar los números ganadores de Powerball después de cada sorteo.
Powerball questions
How do you play Powerball?
Pick five numbers from 1 to 69 and one red Powerball from 1 to 26, or ask for a Quick Pick. Each play costs $2, and drawings are Monday, Wednesday and Saturday at 10:59 p.m. Eastern.
How many numbers do you need to win something?
One, if it's the red Powerball: matching it alone pays $4. Without the Powerball, you need at least three white balls, which pays $7.
Does the order of the numbers matter?
No. The five white balls can match in any order. Only the red Powerball has to match the red ball drawn.
How much is a Powerball ticket?
$2 per play. Power Play adds $1, and Double Play, where your state offers it, adds another $1.
What are the odds of winning the Powerball jackpot?
1 in 292,201,338 per play. The odds of winning any prize are 1 in 24.87.
¿Cómo se juega el Powerball?
Se eligen cinco números del 1 al 69 y un Powerball rojo del 1 al 26. Cada jugada cuesta $2 y los sorteos son los lunes, miércoles y sábados a las 10:59 p.m., hora del Este.
The latest numbers are on our Powerball results page. For the full rules in reference form, see how to play Powerball and ways to win, or compare the game with Mega Millions. You must be at least 18 to play in most states, and older in a few.
Sources: Powerball prize chart; Powerball FAQs; Double Play; MUSL announcement on UK sales.
