Buy Powerball US Tickets Online

Powerball Lottery Tickets
USD 645 Million!
Monday, Mar 18, 2024
Game Format

5/69 white balls + 1/26 powerballs

Odds of Winning jackpot

1:292,201,338

Odds of Winning Prize

1:24.9

Draw Schedule

Wednesday and Saturday at 22:59 EST

Pros
Cons

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US Powerball Review

Have you ever tried playing US Powerball? If you are a lottery fan, this is one of the most exciting games to play out there. Apart from a life-changing Grand Prize, you can win many other tempting prizes if you are lucky enough.

Powerball is one of the lottery games organized by the US Multi-State Lottery Association established in 1987. Take a look at our US Powerball review to learn all specifics about the game, and discover whether it is worth trying!

When Did US Powerball Start?

The history of Powerball starts with its predecessor Lotto America. The first drawing of that game was held in 1988, but four years later, MUSL decided to rebrand and improve the game.

The first Powerball draw occurred in 1992. The game attracted attention immediately because it was the first to use two drums. Other lotteries soon adopted that concept, and we can now see it in Mega Millions, but also on other continents, such as EuroMillions in Europe, and Australia’s Powerball.

The initial drawing was held in Iowa, and US Powerball quickly became very popular in states where you could play the game. More states were joining the lottery, which has gone through several format changes over the years.

The last adjustment occurred in 2015 when the organizers decided to reduce the Powerball pool to 26 (it was 35) and increase the white-ball pool to 69 (it was 59). The new formula reduced the odds of winning a jackpot but increased the chances of winning other prizes. A 10x Power Play token has been implemented in drawings where the Grand Prize was lower than $150 million.

In 2009, the drawings were moved to Florida, which was the request of this state when joining the lottery. Today, all US Powerball Drawings take place in Orlando, and 44 states participate in the lottery. The only states that haven’t joined are Hawaii, Nevada, Alaska, Utah, Mississippi, and Alabama.

US Powerball Rules – How to Play

US Powerball lottery features two drums. The first one is a white-ball drum with numbers from 1 to 69, and the other contains red balls (“power-balls”) with numbers from 1 to 26.

You can play this game by purchasing a lottery ticket, and the minimum bet is set at $2. When buying a ticket, you need to pick five numbers from the white-ball drum, and a single ball from the Powerball drum. You can also let the software pick numbers at random. However, most users have their favorite numbers or choose them based on statistics.

Powerball comes with multiple prizes available. If you are curious about how to win the lottery, you need to guess all the numbers correctly (5+1). The game offers nine additional ways to win, with most of the prizes being quite tempting.

The Grand Prize cannot be less than $40 million. If nobody wins the jackpot at the current drawing, the funds are transferred to the next round. Rollovers are cap-free, which means jackpots could reach astronomically large sums.

Powerball also offers a Power Play multiplier. It is a token that can boost your winnings. Depending on the tier, the multiplier is from 2x to 10x, and that adds a new level of excitement to the game. Activating a Power Play token will cost you another $1 per ticket. However, it might be very valuable because a $50K win might become a $500K win with only a single extra dollar spent!

Where Can You Buy US Powerball Tickets?

You have two ways of purchasing US Powerball tickets – online or offline. If you are in one of 44 states that participate, you can walk to your local vendor and purchase a slip. Alternatively, you can find online providers and buy a ticket without leaving your home. Either way, you can either choose lottery numbers or have them randomly generated.

If you want to purchase Powerball tickets right away, you can click on the “Play” button below and choose from one of our trusted providers. Alternatively, you can pick another provider from this list.

How Many States Participate in the Powerball Lottery?

US Powerball is a major US and worldwide lottery. It’s available in most of the United States. A total of 44 states participate in this lottery, as well as three other jurisdictions. The only states where you can’t purchase tickets for this game are Utah, Nevada, Mississippi, Hawaii, Alaska, and Alabama.

Here is a detailed overview of all US places where you can play Powerball!

How to Play Powerball from Outside the US? Is It Legal?

According to the official US Powerball website, you do not have to be a US resident or citizen to play the game. However, you have to buy the tickets in one of the selling jurisdictions. The organizers also pinpoint that purchasing tickets online or by mail is restricted if it happens across jurisdictional borders.

Here is what that means in practice – if you are not a US citizen, but you are visiting one of the states that participate in organizing Powerball, you can purchase tickets and participate in the game. The only condition is that you meet the age requirement in that particular state.

That is why you can find websites offering US Powerball to players from throughout the world. If you are from outside the US, you might buy a ticket via a trusted provider, and they purchase it for you in one of the selling jurisdictions. However, since all winnings need to be paid in the United States, you should beware of scams. If you win a big prize, that means someone else must pick it up for you.

The staff of the lottery website where you purchased the ticket might choose to keep the prize for themselves. Although they offer a way around the restriction of playing outside the selling jurisdictions, not only that way is restricted, but also very risky because you might never see the cash from the prize. That is why you should only trust reputable lottery websites if you go ahead and purchase the tickets.

Customer Support at US Powerball

If you visit the official US Powerball website, you will notice that it is available in English and Spanish. While that is commendable, it is a shame that there is no way to contact the organizers listed on the site. You can find a useful FAQ section and other game information, but there is no way to get in touch with customer support.

Instead, we suggest trying with your local selling jurisdiction. Visit your local vendor, or try to find the website of state providers to learn more about the game. The good news is that these websites offer various ways to contact customer support, including phone numbers and e-mails.

When Are the US Powerball Drawings Held?

US Powerball drawings take place two times per week. The first weekly drawing is on Wednesday at 10:59 PM Eastern Time, and the other occurs on Saturday night at the same time. All drawings are live from Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida.

What Are the Biggest Jackpots in US Powerball?

We already mentioned that the Grand Prize in US Powerball could change your life. Here is the list of the biggest lottery prizes in the game’s history so that you can see how tempting these jackpots are:

  • $1.586 billion – It is the biggest prize in Powerball’s history. However, it is worth mentioning that three winners had to split it, which put individual jackpot at $327 million (cash payment) or $533 million (annuity option).
  • $768 million – It is one of the latest Powerball prizes, and it was Manuel Franco who purchased the winning ticket in Wisconsin.
  • $758.7 million – Mavis Wanczyk from Massachusetts won this prize in 2017, and this ticket comes very close to the largest individual prize in the history of Powerball.

What Are the Odds to Win the Grand Prize at US Powerball?

Everyone who plays US Powerball dreams about winning the jackpot. Did you know that the odds of actually winning the Grand Prize is only 1 in 292,201,388? It is a life-changing prize (at least $40 million), and it is normal that you should be very lucky to win it.

The second-tier prize is not bad either since its pool is $1 million. Don’t forget that you can use the multiplier to increase it. The odds of winning that prize are 1 in 11,688,053. Some players are attracted towards lotto dominator when playing the lottery, however, before jumping it, you might want to have a review about how true it is!

Here is a complete list of prizes along with the chances of winning each of them:

PrizeOddsHow to Win It*
Grand Prize (at least $40 million)1 in 292,201,3385 + PB
$1,000,0001 in 11,688,0535
$50,0001 in 913,1294 + PB
$1001 in 36,5254
$1001 in 14,4943 + PB
$71 in 5803
$71 in 7012 + PB
$41 in 921 + PB
$41 in 380 + PB

*White balls + Powerball number

What Are Your Payout Options If You Win at US Powerball?

If you win up to $600, you can pick up the price at a licensed lottery vendor in the state where you purchased the ticket. It is possible to claim rewards over $600 in some offices, but make sure to check with your local provider about the maximum amount available. You can claim big prizes at lottery headquarters.

When it comes to the jackpot, you have two payout options available. You can either choose to be paid in cash quickly after the drawing (expect two installments – one paid by the jurisdiction when you purchased the ticket, and the other from the combined lottery fund). Alternatively, you can choose a payment over 30 yearly installments. In that case, every next payment will be 5% larger due to inflation.

Each option comes with its benefits. A lump cash payment involves a large tax rate, and the total amount is lower due to the inflation adjustments. However, annuities might protect you against losing your money too quickly (it happens with jackpot winners) and lower the tax sum you have to pay.

Are US Powerball Winnings Subject to Taxes?

US Powerball is a game that complies with both state and federal law, which means it is subject to taxes. Federal tax will be charged to all prizes following the law.

As for the state tax, it varies from one jurisdiction to another. For example, Florida and California do not have lottery-winning taxes. On the other hand, the highest ones are in New York (8.8%) and California (6.99%).

What Time Can You Buy Powerball Tickets Until?

If you buy Powerball tickets online, it depends on the provider you select. For example, theLotter allows purchasing tickets until 90 minutes before the draw. For other providers, the limit is two hours or longer before the session starts. You can check the actual deadline on the desired vendor’s website. As for the offline sellers, it could depend on their working hours, so make sure to check with them first so you don’t miss buying tickets for the upcoming draw.

US Powerball FAQ

What is the deadline for buying Powerball tickets before the drawing?
It depends on the state, but the sales end one or two hours before the drawing starts.

Do the numbers have to be drawn in exact order to win a prize?
No, ball numbers are drawn in random order, which means you only need to guess the correct numbers to win a prize. It is important to note that each play is independent and determines the winnings separately. That means you can’t combine numbers from multiple plays or tickets.

Is there a deadline for claiming prizes?
It depends on the jurisdiction, but tickets might expire anywhere from 90 days to 12 months from the drawing date. You might find the expiration date on the back of the ticket. If you are unsure, make sure to contact the lottery and confirm the expiration date.

Can I stay anonymous if I win at Powerball?
That also varies from one state to another. While some states allow you to stay anonymous, others require you to enter your detail and the prize sum. You might still manage to keep your identity safe from the public and media, but if the law requires you to provide the information, it is mandatory to do it.

Fun Facts About US Powerball

US Powerball has more than a three-decade-long tradition, and we have selected fun facts that marked the game’s history:

  • The “hottest” numbers are 8, 14, 29, 39, and 54 for the white-ball drum, and 7 and 17 for the Powerball drum.These numbers are most frequently drawn in this game. As for cold numbers, those over 60 rarely appear in the white-ball drum, and four is the least popular number in the Powerball selection.
  • Three out of four winning tickets let the software choose their numbers.
  • Most jackpot winners at this moment are from Pennsylvania (16).
  • In 2005, there were 110 winners of the second prize, which was $19 million at the time. The number of winners surprised even the officials. Once they investigated, they found that the majority of winners used numbers printed in their fortune cookie. The person who wrote the fortune cookie guessed five out of six numbers correctly.

US Powerball – Final Thoughts

The math is simple – a US Powerball ticket costs $2, and it gives you a chance to win millions! That is the main reason why you should consider playing the most popular lottery game in the United States. Since 44 states are a part of the body that organizes Powerball, you can rest assured the game is legit, and you will receive your winnings. To know the wait time, you can check how long after winning the lottery you can get the money.

Finally, US Powerball follows the latest trends and allows you to purchase tickets online without even leaving your home. If you put all that together, it is clear that this is a game you have to try!