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 Pennsylvania on August 12, 2024.
⚡️ Feeling inspired? Get in the game on the Jackpocket lottery app for 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.
| Match | Win | Odds |
|---|---|---|
| 5 numbers + Powerball | Jackpot | 1 in 292,201,338 |
| 5 numbers | $1,000,000 | 1 in 11,688,053 |
| 4 numbers + Powerball | $50,000 | 1 in 931,001 |
| 4 numbers | $100 | 11 in 36,525.17 |
| 3 numbers + Powerball | $100 | 1 in 14,494.11 |
| 3 numbers | $7 | 1 in 579.76 |
| 2 numbers + Powerball | $7 | 11 in 701.33 |
| 1 number + Powerball | $4 | 1 in 91.98 |
| Powerball only | $4 | 1 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!
