Australia Powerball FAQs

The draw takes place every Thursday night at 8.30pm AEST (9.30pm AEDT).

Ticket sales close at 7.30pm AEST on the night of the draw and re-open shortly afterwards. However, for tickets purchased online, sales may close up to three hours before the draw.

You have to pick seven numbers between 1 and 35, and one Powerball number from 1 to 20.

Prizes are won by matching at least two main numbers and the Powerball. The jackpot is won by matching all seven main numbers and the Powerball. There are nine prize divisions in total.

Yes, you can join an online syndicate, buy syndicate shares in store or form your own syndicate with people you know.

You can choose a standard entry, where you pick your numbers yourself, or you can use a Quick Pick to have your numbers randomly selected. You can also play Systems, PowerHits, Pick 5 and Pick 6 entries, and others.

The cost of Powerball is $1.30 per line, plus commission for retailers. In most states, the minimum play is $5.40 for four states. The exception is Western Australia, which offers two games for $2.65.

The amount of time you have to claim a prize from the date of a draw depends on which state you purchased your ticket from. You have the following claim periods in each state:

• Tasmania and Victoria - six months
• South Australia - twelve months
• Northern Territory - three years
• New South Wales - six years
• Queensland - seven years

You are also advised to check with your local state lottery for more information about claim periods.

The exact procedure depends on whether you have played online or in-store, and how much you have won. Generally, though, most prizes will be paid into your account if you play online. Otherwise, you will be able to claim smaller prizes from retail outlets, or you will have to go to a state lottery office or claim by post for larger amounts.

If prize money is not claimed within the specified period, it is used as follows:

• Victoria - you can still claim your prize after six months, but a claim must be lodged with the state revenue office.
• South Australia: transferred to the Unclaimed Prizes Reserve, where it is distributed to the Recreation and Sport Fund and Hospitals Fund.
• New South Wales: transferred to the state government.
• Queensland: used to fund promotional draws and events.
• Western Australia: used to issue grants to charitable organisations and community projects.

Yes, you can choose numbers online and win prizes wherever you live. See the buy tickets page for more information.

You must be 18 years or older.

Lottery winnings in Australia are tax-free, but you may be liable to withholdings in your own country if you are playing from overseas. You are advised to check with a local tax specialist to find out about your potential liabilities.

The minimum prize pool is $4 million and automatically resets to this amount after the jackpot has been won.

There isn’t a jackpot cap, but there is a rollover limit which prevents the Division 1 prize from going more than 25 draws in a row without a winner. If the jackpot hit this limit, it would have to be split between winners in Division 2. However, this limit is never likely to be required, as typically it only takes a handful of draws for the jackpot to go past $100 million, which drives up ticket sales significantly.

The biggest jackpot ever won was worth $160 million on Thursday 27 October 2022, split between three lucky ticket holders. The winning entries were purchased in New South Wales, Victoria and Western Australia. Find out more on the Winners page.

The next Australia Powerball draw is on Thursday 28^th December.

The next jackpot is estimated at $20,000,000.

The draw is broadcast on TV Channel 7 at approximately 20.30 AEST.

You can check the latest results on the Australia Powerball Results page, shortly after each draw has taken place.

The overall odds of winning any prize are 1 in 44, and the odds of claiming the jackpot are 1 in 134,490,400. You can view the odds of winning in each prize division on the Powerball Prizes page.

You may still be able to claim your prize even if you have lost or damaged your ticket. The first step is to complete a Lost or Damaged Ticket Search form if your ticket is not covered by a Winners Circle card, Players Card, Tatts Card or Easiplay Club Card.

Yes, you can remain anonymous if you win the Australia Powerball jackpot. The decision is yours whether to go public or keep your identity private, regardless of your prize amount.

Revenue generated from ticket sales is used to benefit communities in each state, and it is the responsibility of each lottery provider to allocate their funds accordingly. In Western Australia, Lotterywest donates about 33 percent of its revenue to good causes. Tatts Group, which is active in every state except for Western Australia, puts its revenue towards various causes, including schooling, hospitals and sports organisations.

The first draw was held in May 1996, and players had to pick five numbers between 1 and 45 and a Powerball number between 1 and 45.