Powerball
Powerball is a multi-state game famous for its massive prizes - it holds the world record for the highest lottery jackpot of $2.04 billion that was won by a single ticket on November 7th 2022. Texas has created numerous big winners since joining the game in 2010. There are three draws every week for the chance to win a top prize that currently starts at $20 million and keeps rolling and growing until someone hits it. Tickets cost $2.
Keep reading to learn more about the draw schedule, how to play, the prizes you could win, and the chances of hitting a payout.
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How to Play
To play Powerball, pick five numbers from 1 to 69 and one Powerball number from a separate set of 1 to 26. The key rules are the same in Texas as anywhere else in the country where the lottery is offered, but in the Lone Star State you also have to indicate your preferred payment option on your playslip for whether you would take the grand prize as an annuity or a one-off cash sum. Find out more below about exactly how to play Powerball in Texas as you bid to become the state’s next jackpot winner.
Playing Online
Use the step-by-step guide below to help you play Powerball online:
Choose five main numbers from 1 through 69 and one Powerball number from 1 through 26
Specify how many draws in advance you want to enter
Decide whether to select the Power Play option for an additional $1
If you're happy with your choices, press the ‘Checkout’ button and complete your purchase
Playing Powerball In-Store
Head to your favorite Texas Lottery retailer and pick up a playslip to get started
Select your numbers – five main numbers from 1 to 69 and a Powerball from a set of 1 to 26 or opt for a 'Quick Pick' if you want your numbers randomly chosen for you
Decide whether to add the Power Play option for an additional $1
Multi-Draw is the fastest way to play your favorite numbers in up to 10 draws in a row. Just mark the number of draws on your playslip that you want to enter and your choice of numbers will be entered for each of those draws, costing $2 per draw
Pay for your ticket - Each standard Powerball play costs $2. The cost is $3 for a single Powerball line with Power Play
Draw Schedule
Powerball draws take place on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday nights at 9:59 p.m. CT. Draws are held in Tallahassee, Florida. Tickets are available until 9:00 p.m. CT on draw nights, and there is then a draw break until sales resume for the next draw at 10:15 p.m.
Prizes and Odds of Winning
Every Powerball ticket gives you nine ways to win. You are guaranteed to get a payout as long as you match the winning Powerball, and the value of prizes increases as you match more numbers. You get £4 for just the Powerball, or for the Powerball and one number, and it is $7 for two numbers and the Powerball.
To win the jackpot, you need all six of your numbers to be the same as the winning line. If multiple players match all the numbers, the jackpot is shared between the winners. For example, the TL Management Trust from Texas landed a third of a $564 million jackpot back in February 2015. This is the highest Powerball win ever seen in Texas. Check the table below for all the prizes and chances of scoring a payout.
| Numbers Matched | Odds of Winning | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| 5 + Powerball | 1 in 292,201,338 | Jackpot |
| 5 | 1 in 11,688,053 | $1 million |
| 4 + Powerball | 1 in 913,219 | $50,000 |
| 4 | 1 in 36,525 | $100 |
| 3 + Powerball | 1 in 14,494 | $100 |
| 3 | 1 in 579 | $7 |
| 2 + Powerball | 1 in 701 | $7 |
| 1 + Powerball | 1 in 91 | $4 |
| Powerball only | 1 in 38 | $4 |
| The overall odds of winning a prize on Powerball are 1 in 24.87 | ||
Power Play
The Power Play add-on multiplies any prize below the jackpot by up to 10 times (or up to five times if the jackpot is above $150 million). It costs $1 more per play and may only be added to a Powerball ticket, not played on its own.
The Power Play number is randomly selected before each Powerball draw. Power Play always doubles the $1 million Match 5 prize to $2 million regardless of the number drawn. All other non-jackpot prizes are multiplied by the Power Play number.
If you added the Power Play option to your ticket, check out how much any non-grand prize you win is worth depending on the Power Play number drawn, which can be up to 5X, or up to 10X if the jackpot is $150 million or below:
| Numbers Matched | Power Play not played | 2x | 3x | 4x | 5x | 10x |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 + Powerball | Jackpot | Jackpot | Jackpot | Jackpot | Jackpot | Jackpot |
| 5 | $1 million | $2 million | $2 million | $2 million | $2 million | $2 million |
| 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 |
Payment Options
Powerball jackpot winners can choose to be paid their winnings as an annuity or cash lump sum, and you’ll need to mark your choice on the playslip. You will not be able to amend your selection, so think carefully which of the two below options you would rather if you won the jackpot:
- 30 annual payments: This is an annuity, where the advertised jackpot amount is paid in 30 installments over 29 years. The annuity is funded by investing the money in the prize pool.
- Cash value option: This is a lump sum payout and is the most popular choice. It’s simply a payment of the funds in the prize pool at the time of the win, but will be lower than the pre-draw advertised amount.
The advertised jackpot value is always an estimate, not a guarantee. The final amount is based on ticket sales, and for the annuity, interest rates on investments.