WASHINGTON — With the Powerball jackpot breaking the $1 billion mark, many people who don't often play the lottery may consider throwing in a few bucks for their chance at some big cash.
Saturday's $1.30 billion Powerball jackpot is the fourth-largest prize in game history and the eighth-largest in U.S. lottery history. The cash option, which most people pick, currently stands at $608.9 million.
How to play Powerball
Powerball costs $2 per ticket and players select five numbers between 1 and 69 for the white balls, along with one number between 1 and 26 for the red Powerball. You can either select your numbers on a play slip or let the lottery terminal randomly pick for you.
The jackpot is won by matching all five white balls, in any order, along with the red Powerball. But the odds of winning that grand prize are pretty terrible: 1 in 292.2 million.
Your best shot at winning a prize is the 1 in 38.32 odds of matching only the Powerball number. That'll net you $4.
Can you buy Powerball tickets online?
While Powerball tickets are sold in all but five states, buying tickets online is much more restrictive.
Whether or not you're able to buy a Powerball ticket online depends on your location.
Currently, the lotteries in just nine states and the District of Columbia offer ways to purchase Powerball tickets online or through their lottery's mobile app. Those states include: Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan, New Hampshire, North Carolina, North Dakota, Pennsylvania and Virginia.
If you don't live in one of those states, you may not be out of luck completely.
Another option that's popped up in recent years is courier services, like Lotto.com and Jackpocket, which allow players to order lottery tickets via a mobile app or website. Those companies go and buy the ticket on the player's behalf from a licensed retailer in their state, then upload an image of it on the app and securely store the physical ticket.
But location is again key, because these courier services are not available everywhere.
Jackpocket is currently available in Arkansas, Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Texas, Washington, DC, and West Virginia.
Lotto.com currently operates in Arkansas, Colorado, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon and Texas.
What time is the Powerball drawing?
The next drawing will take place on Wednesday at 10:59 p.m. Eastern (9:59 p.m. Central Time, 8:59 p.m. Mountain Time, 7:59 p.m. Pacific Time)
What days are the Powerball drawing?
Back in Aug. 2021, Powerball shifted to three drawings a week in an effort to build larger prizes and boost sales. The drawings currently happen every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
How late can you buy Powerball tickets?
The cut-off times for buying Powerball tickets vary by state. Usually, it's within one or two hours of the scheduled drawing. However, you should check with your local lottery. Tickets cost $2 per play.
What are the largest US lottery jackpots ever won?
- $2.04 Billion – Nov. 7, 2022 – CA
- $1.765 Billion – Oct. 11, 2023 - CA
- $1.586 Billion – Jan. 13, 2016 – CA, FL, TN
- $1.30 Billion – April, 6, 2024 (estimated)
- $1.08 Billion – July 19, 2023 – CA
- $842.4 Million – January 1, 2024 – MI
- $768.4 Million – March 27, 2019 – WI
- $758.7 Million – Aug. 23, 2017 – MA
- $754.6 Million – Feb. 6, 2023 - WA
- $731.1 Million – Jan. 20, 2021 – MD
What are the largest US lottery jackpots ever won?
- $2.04 billion: Powerball - Nov. 7, 2022 – CA
- $1.76 billion – Oct. 11, 2023
- $1.586 billion: Powerball – Jan. 13, 2016 – CA, FL, TN
- $1.58 billion: Mega Millions – Aug. 8, 2023 – FLv
- $1.537 billion: Mega Millions – Oct. 23, 2018 - SC
- $1.35 billion: Mega Millions - Jan. 13, 2023 - ME
- $1.337 billion: Mega Millions - July 29, 2022 - IL
- $1.30 Billion – April, 6, 2024 (estimated)
- $1.13 billion: Mega Millions - March 26, 2024 - NJ
- $1.08 billion: Powerball – July 19, 2023 – CA
