Powerball lotto is played 3 times a week on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday. 5 main balls are drawn from a drum of balls numbered from 1 to 69. 1 bonus ball (Powerball) is drawn from another set of balls numbered from 1 to 26. To win the Powerball lottery Jackpot, you need to match all 5 main balls and the Powerball drawn.
History of Powerball
Powerball was previously known as Lotto America when it was first launched in 1988, only for Lotto America to disappear and then relaunch in 2017 as a new draw with a different format.
Powerball took its name in 1992, having undergone numerous format changes over the years, most recently to its current format and the addition of the 10x multiplier in October 2015.
Powerball Prizes and Odds
| MATCH | PRIZE | ODDS |
|---|---|---|
| 5 + Powerball | Jackpot | 1 in 292,201,338 |
| 5 | $1,000,000 | 1 in 11,688,053.52 |
| 4 + Powerball | $50,000 | 1 in 913,129.18 |
| 4 | $100 | 1 in 36,525.17 |
| 3 + Powerball | $100 | 1 in 14,494.11 |
| 3 | $7 | 1 in 579.76 |
| 2 + Powerball | $7 | 1 in 701.33 |
| 1 + Powerball | $4 | 1 in 91.98 |
| Powerball only | $4 | 1 in 38.32 |
Powerball Power Play Prizes
| MATCH | ORIGINAL PRIZE | 2X | 3X | 4X | 5X | 10X |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 + Powerball | Jackpot | |||||
| 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 |
| Powerball only | $4 | $8 | $12 | $16 | $20 | $40 |
Powerball Power Play Odds
| 2X | 3X | 4X | 5X | 10X | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Odds with 10x multiplier | 1 in 1.79 | 1 in 3.31 | 1 in 14.33 | 1 in 21.5 | 1 in 43 |
| Odds without 10x multiplier | 1 in 1.75 | 1 in 3.23 | 1 in 14 | 1 in 21 | N/A |
Powerball Schedule
| MONDAY | WEDNESDAY | SATURDAY | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Draw Time | 10:59 p.m. ET | 10:59 p.m. ET | 10:59 p.m. ET |
| Sales Stop | Varies according to jurisdiction | Varies according to jurisdiction | Varies according to jurisdiction |
10 Biggest Powerball Winners and Jackpots
| RANK | NAME | JACKPOT | NUMBERS | WHEN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | – John and Lisa Robinson (Tennessee) – Marvin and Mae Acosta (California) – Maureen Smith and David Kaltschmidt (Florida) | $1.586 Billion | 8-27-34-4-19-(10) | Jan 13, 2016 |
| 2nd | Manuel Franco (Wisconsin) | $768.4 Million | 16-20-37-44-62-(12) | Mar 27, 2019 |
| 3rd | Mavis L. Wanczyk (Massachusetts) | $758.7 Million | 6-7-16-23-26-(4) | Aug 23, 2017 |
| 4th | Unknown (Maryland) | $730 Million | 40-53-60-68-69-(22) | Jan 20, 2021 |
| 5th | Robert Bailey (New York) Lerynne West (Iowa) | $687.8 Million | 8-12-13-19-27-(4) | Oct 27, 2018 |
| 6th | Gloria Mackenzie (Florida) | $590.5 Million | 22-10-13-14-52-(11) | May 18, 2013 |
| 7th | Mark and Cindy Hill (Missouri) Matthew Goode (Arizona) | $587.5 Million | 5-23-16-22-29-(6) | Nov 28, 2012 |
| 8th | Andrew Weber (Texas) Unknown (Puerto Rico) | $564.1 Million | 25-11-54-13-39-(19) | Feb 11, 2015 |
| 9th | “Jane Doe” (New Hampshire) | $559.7 Million | 12-29-30-33-61-(26) | Jan 06, 2018 |
| 10th | Unknown (New Hampshire) | $487 Million | 11-17-21-23-32-(5) | Jul 30, 2016 |
Winning Odds
The odds of winning the USA Powerball jackpot are 1 in 292,201,338.
