Do you win money if you only get the Powerball number?
Yes, if you just hit the Powerball number, you win $4. This gives you the $2 purchase of your ticket back, plus an extra $2. According to Powerball’s official website, the odds of your ticket matching only the Powerball is 1 in 38.32.
How to Play Powerball
Pick 5 numbers between 1 and 69 and one number between 1 and 26. The 5 numbers are for the white balls, while the single number is for the red Powerball. You can choose your numbers on a play slip or let a lottery terminal randomly pick your numbers. For an extra dollar, you can add Power Play to your ticket, which multiplies any non-jackpot amount you’ve won by 2, 3, 4, 5, or 10. The Powerball jackpot keeps growing until someone matches all 6 numbers. Buy tickets in person at gas stations, convenience stores, and grocery stores, or on state-regulated online lottery platforms, like Jackpot.com. Powerball costs $2 per play, but in Idaho and Montana, it is bundled with Power Play for a minimum purchase price of $3 per play. You can also pay an extra $1 to add Double Play to your ticket, which allows you to match your Powerball numbers in a separate drawing with a cash prize of $10 million.
How to Claim Your Powerball Prize
Claim a prize up to $600 at any licensed lottery retailer in your state. In most states, you can visit any lottery retailer and redeem prizes that are $600 or less. Just sign the back of the ticket, take a photo of the front and back of the ticket for your records, and show them the ticket at the cash register. Alternatively, you can schedule an appointment at a lottery office, or fill out a claim form and mail in your ticket to the lottery. Find your local lottery office by searching “lottery office near me” on Google. Each state has an official website that lets you schedule an appointment online and claim your prize in person. If you win $600 or more, you’ll have to schedule an appointment and claim your prize at a lottery office or headquarters. You usually need to provide your winning ticket, a claim form, a valid government-issued ID, and a valid social security number for tax purposes. Jackpot winners may choose to receive their prize in 30 annual payments, or as a one-time, lump-sum payment. Both options are subject to federal and jurisdictional taxes.
How to Know If You've Won
Check for winning numbers on Powerball’s official website. Input the numbers that are listed horizontally on your ticket and the date range, then hit “enter.” If any of your numbers were drawn, they will be marked with a green check, and you will see the corresponding prize money beside it. Alternatively, sign up for emails at the bottom of Powerball’s home page to receive updates on weekly drawings, or watch live drawings on your local newscast every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday at 10:59 PM (ET).
Do the numbers have to match in the exact order drawn?
No, the order of the white numbers does not matter. All Powerball tickets print the white ball numbers in numerical order from lowest to highest, with the Powerball number at the end. This makes it easy to review your numbers during the live drawing, but the order doesn’t matter when it comes to playing the game. As long as the numbers on your ticket match the numbers drawn, you can win a prize!
How to Increase Your Odds of Winning the Jackpot
Buy multiple tickets. Generally, playing more than one ticket increases your odds because you’re giving yourself more than one opportunity to win. With that being said, the odds of hitting the jackpot are 1 in 292,201,338. So, lottery and mathematics experts do not advise treating tickets as actual investments.
Pick unpopular or random numbers. Most people choose numbers based on significant dates, like birthdays or anniversaries, but this strategy limits you from choosing numbers that are greater than 31. To avoid choosing the same numbers as other players (and having to split the jackpot if you win), try to choose numbers that you think other people won’t pick.
Stay away from numbers that were in the last drawing. Since the balls are drawn at random, there is a very slim chance—around 3-4%—that the same numbers will reappear.
When do Powerball drawings take place?
Drawings are held on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday at 10:59 PM (ET). They take place at the Florida Lottery draw studio in Tallahassee, Florida. To watch the live broadcast, tune into your local news station or watch it on Powerball’s official website. If you miss it, you can also watch clips of the drawing on Powerball’s YouTube channel.
Do you have to be a U.S. citizen or resident to play?
No, you do not have to be a U.S. citizen or U.S. resident to play Powerball. As long as you meet the legal age requirement in the jurisdiction that you purchase your ticket, you can play the game and claim a prize. The minimum age to buy a lottery ticket in most states is 18.
Do Powerball tickets expire?
Yes, tickets expire from 90 days to one year, depending on your state. The expiration date is usually listed on the back of your ticket, but if it isn’t, look up the rules for the state you bought your ticket in.
Top 5 Powerball Lottery Jackpots
$2.04 billion: November 7, 2022 (California) $1.765 billion: October 11, 2023 (California) $1.586 billion: January 13, 2016 (California, Florida, Tennessee) $1.08 billion: July 19, 2023 (California) $768.4 million: March 27, 2019 (Wisconsin)
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