To play Powerball, you must select five main numbers between 1 and 69 and one Powerball from 1 to 26. Draws take place on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays at 10:59pm EST, and the price per line is $2. You can also add the Power Play option to your ticket for an additional $1, which will multiply any non-jackpot prizes you win by up to 10 times their original value. Find out more about how to play Powerball.
You can buy tickets from authorized retailers in any of the participating jurisdictions. The game is available in 45 states, as well as Washington D.C., the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico. It is easy to take part, and you just have to follow the steps below:
Follow our step-by-step guide below to find out how to fill out your Powerball ticket when playing in-store. This outlines how to buy Powerball tickets, although there are also state-specific instructions depending on where you are. If you don't want to select your own numbers, you can also use Quick Picks to help you decide on your numbers if you would prefer.
Visit the retailer of your choice and pick up a playslip.
Select five numbers from 1 to 69, plus one Powerball between 1 and 26. Alternatively, opt for a Quick Pick to have them randomly generated for you.
Decide whether to add the Power Play option.
Choose to enter just the next draw or multiple consecutive draws.
Pay for your ticket and keep it safe until the draw.
In some states you also have the option to add Double Play to your ticket. This is an extra feature which costs $1 per play. Your Powerball numbers will be entered into a separate draw which is held shortly after the main game. Go to the Double Play page for more information about the game, which has a top prize of $10 million.
You can purchase tickets without being a resident of the state in which you are playing, but you must be the minimum age to play, which varies by state. Go to the Rules page to find out about the age restrictions in different states.
You can buy tickets seven days a week until the cut-off time on the night of the drawings. The cut-off time for ticket sales varies in each jurisdiction but is typically one to two hours before each draw.
You can also enter several games on one ticket, giving you multiple chances of winning. There is a section on your playslip where you can select how many draws you wish to enter. Just mark the relevant box to specify how many consecutive draws you would like to play. The maximum number of draws you can enter in advance varies from state to state.
Each Powerball line costs $2, but the total price of your ticket will depend on how many games you play, how many consecutive draws you enter and whether you have added the Power Play option.
Power Play is an optional add-on that costs an extra $1 per game. For example, if you want to enter just one line of Powerball numbers with Power Play, it will cost $3. To add it to your ticket, just select the Power Play box on your playslip. It is available in all participating jurisdictions apart from California, while in Idaho and Montana it is included automatically.
If you win a prize with Power Play, any non-jackpot winnings on your Powerball ticket are multiplied by 2, 3, 4, 5 or 10 (the 10x Power Play multiplier is only available when the jackpot is an estimated $150 million or less). The only exception is the 'Match 5' prize, which is always doubled to $2 million, regardless of the Power Play number drawn.
The multiplier is selected at random just before each drawing. Go to the prizes page to see the expected payouts when you opt in to Power Play.
You must claim any Powerball prizes in the state in which your ticket was purchased. Find out more about how to collect your money on the How to Claim Winnings page.
Powerball tickets are available over the internet in some of the participating jurisdictions, and you can also take part in the game from overseas by choosing numbers online. Follow these steps to get started:
Create an account. Select any of the 'Pick Numbers' banners on Powerball.net. You will then be able to set up an online account.
Pick your numbers. You can select your own numbers – five main numbers from 1 to 69 and one Powerball from 1 to 26 – or use the 'Quick Pick' option to have a random selection picked for you.
Confirm your purchase. Once you are happy with your numbers, select the ‘Add to Cart’ button and pay for your entries.
Check the results. The latest numbers are available on Powerball.net soon after each draw. Visit the Numbers page for more information.
Email notification. If you win a prize, you will receive an email with the details. You can also check in your online lottery account to see if you are a winner.
