Powerball is not just one of the two biggest American lotteries but also one of the largest on the planet. With record-breaking rollover jackpots that start at $40 million and the exciting Powerball Multiplier, this is the kind of lottery that just keeps on giving.
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US Powerball is one of the most popular lottery games in the world.
Often producing some of the largest jackpots on record, including the world's biggest jackpot, Powerball is also among the top online lotteries.
Though the game has undergone some significant change throughout its history, the most recent taking place in October 2015, it remains a favourite for many worldwide.
In the following guide, we’ll tell you everything you need to know about it and explain how you can buy US Powerball tickets online.
About US Powerball
US Powerball is run by the Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL) and is available in 45 states, as well as the District of Columbia, the US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. The only states that do not participate are Alabama, Alaska, Hawaii, Nevada and Utah.
It was first formed on April 19, 1992, though a pre-cursor lottery called Lotto America had run from 1988 to 1992.
The first US Powerball drawing took place April 22, 1992.
The most recent change to this incredibly popular American lottery came in October 2015. This is when the main number pool was expanded from 59 to 69 and the pool for the extra Powerball was reduced from 35 to 26.
This switch improved the overall odds of winning while also helping to generate bigger jackpot prizes.
US Powerball Draws
US Powerball draws consist of five main pool balls and one Powerball.
Draws are bi-weekly and occur on Wednesdays and Saturdays at 10:59 pm EST in Tallahassee, Florida.
The numbers are selected randomly using two lottery drums that are set up at the Florida Lottery’s studios.
How to Play US Powerball
Players must choose five numbers for the main pool balls, which includes numbers 1 through 69. They must also choose a Powerball number from a range of numbers 1 through 26.
To win the jackpot, players must match all five main numbers as well as the Powerball.
Players can easily buy lottery tickets from any seller location in the participating states or the vast majority of online lottery websites.
US Powerball tickets officially cost $2 per line, and players have the option of adding on a Power Play multiplier for an additional $1 per line.
The Power Play multiplies any non-jackpot prizes by 2X, 3X, 4X, 5X or 10X. The exact number depends on which multiplier is drawn each draw.
Players can either choose numbers manually or select the Quick Pick option, which randomly generates numbers.
The minimum age to purchase tickets is 18, except in Nebraska, where it is 19, and Arizona, Iowa and Louisiana, where it is 21.
US Powerball Prizes and Odds
US Powerball has a rollover jackpot, which means that if there is no player who matches all six numbers, then the jackpot is added to the next draw.
This has led to many large jackpots, some totalling over $1 billion. Each jackpot starts at $40,000,000.
The odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 292,201,338. There are only two lotteries in the world that have tougher odds: Mega Millions (1 in 302,575,350) and Italy SuperEnalotto (1 in 622,614,630).
Luckily, there are a few incredible US Powerball syndicates available online that improve these odds to as little as 1 in 289,882.
Altogether, there are nine prize tiers, as shown in the table below:
Matches
Prize
Prize with Power Play Multiplier
2x
3x
4x
5x
10x
5 + Powerball
Jackpot
No Multiplier - Jackpot Only
5
$1,000,000
$2,000,000
$2,000,000
$2,000,000
$2,000,000
$2,000,000
4 + Powerball
$50,000
$100,000
$150,000
$200,000
$250,000
$500,000
4
$100
$200
$300
$400
$500
$1,000
3 + Powerball
$100
$200
$300
$400
$500
$1,000
3
$7
$14
$21
$28
$35
$70
2 + Powerball
$7
$14
$21
$28
$35
$70
1 + Powerball
$4
$8
$12
$16
$20
$40
0 + Powerball
$4
$8
$12
$16
$20
$40
,
Since the most recent format change in 2015, the odds of winning any prize have improved to 1 in 24.
Numbers Matched
Odds of Winning
5 + Powerball
1 in 292,201,338
5
1 in 11,688,053
4 + Powerball
1 in 913,129
4
1 in 36,525
3 + Powerball
1 in 14,494
3
1 in 579
2 + Powerball
1 in 701
1 + Powerball
1 in 91
0 + Powerball
1 in 38
Claiming US Powerball Prizes
US Powerball winners have between 90 days and one calendar year to claim prizes, depending on the state where the ticket was sold.
If multiple players have won the top prize, the jackpot is split evenly between all winners. Every other prize is a fixed amount.
Jackpot winners have two options for collecting their money.
They can either choose for the money to be fully paid as an annuity over 29 years or take a smaller lump sum.
The lump sum will be subject to a larger tax deduction than the annuity, though taxes vary by state.
Lottery winners in California, Delaware, Florida, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington and Wyoming do not need to pay any state taxes on their winnings. This also applies to Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Winners in these states must only pay federal income tax on their wins.
All other states must also pay state taxes that vary from state to state.
If the winner purchased the winning ticket outside of their home state, then they may be subject to the tax requirements of both states.
International lottery players are charged a flat rate of 30% on all prizes above $5,000. Depending on their country of residency, they may also have to pay further taxes to their own governments as well.
Notable Powerball Winners
US Powerball routinely produces some of the most massive jackpots. The largest jackpot in not only Powerball history but international lotto history was $1.58 billion, which was split between three winning tickets on January 13, 2016.
The winners were John and Lisa Robinson, Mae and Marvin Acosta, and 70-year-old Maureen Smith. The winners all chose to take the lump sum payment options, which left them each with $327.8 million before taxes.
Powerball is one of the most popular lotteries in not just the US, but also up north in Canada and all around the world.
It has consistent bi-weekly draws that regularly include large jackpots and good overall odds for a win.
While matching all five numbers and the extra Powerball is a major challenge, it’s easy to understand why this lottery has the incredible international following that it does.
And the more popular that it gets and the more tickets are sold, the bigger the jackpots grow to-creating a win-win-win situation for everybody.
Powerball winners have the choice to receive their windfall as a single lump-sum payout or in the form of 30 payments over 29 years via the annuity option. If you choose the latter, you will receive an initial payment that is followed by annual payments that increase by 5% each year.
What are the Powerball odds of winning the jackpot?
The Powerball jackpot odds are 1 in 292,201,338.
Can Powerball tickets be purchased online?
Yes, it is very easy to buy lotto tickets for Powerball online, provided you live in one of the six states (Georgia, Kentucky, Illinois, Michigan, New Hampshire or Pennsylvania) that offer online sales, usually by way of a subscription-meaning you cannot purchase one-off tickets. Alternatively, you can sign up with an online lottery site and play Powerball no matter where you live, plus you’ll have access to many other lotteries from around the world.
Can Powerball winners remain anonymous?
Powerball winners can remain anonymous, but only in certain states that give lottery winners the option of staying anonymous. At present, only nine states allow their residents to do so: Texas, Delaware, Georgia, Maryland, Kansas, South Carolina, New Jersey, North Dakota and Ohio. If you don’t live in one of these states, you might still be able to remain anonymous if revealing your identity would put you at risk or if you set up a trust and have the trust claim the winnings on your behalf.
When does Powerball draw?
Powerball draws take place on Wednesday and Saturday evenings at 10:59 pm EST.
What was the biggest Powerball jackpot ever?
The biggest Powerball jackpot ever-and the biggest jackpot of any lottery ever-was for the January 13, 2016, draw. It was worth a staggering $1.586 billion and split among three couples from Tennessee, Florida and California.
How much does a Powerball lottery ticket cost?
When purchased within the US, a single Powerball ticket costs $2 on its own or $3 with the Power Play option.
Comments
Carolyn
I like many things about Powerball, but I LOVE that the Power Play option costs just $1 extra and gives so many additional chances to win.
Steve
It's not an easy game to win, but that doesn't mean I will stop playing it any time soon!
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Carolyn