How to Play Powerball: Rules, Prizes and Add-Ons

To play Powerball, you pick 5 white-ball numbers from 1 to 69 and 1 red Powerball number from 1 to 26. One play costs $2. Draws take place three times a week, on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday. You win a prize when your numbers match enough of the numbers drawn. The more you match, the bigger the prize.

This guide walks through the rules step by step. It also explains the two optional add-ons, Power Play and Double Play, and shows what each prize tier pays. All the odds here are plain facts about the game. They do not mean any ticket is likely to win.

What you pick on a Powerball ticket

A Powerball play has two parts:

• Five main numbers. Pick 5 different numbers from 1 to 69.
• One Powerball. Pick 1 number from 1 to 26. This number comes from its own separate set of balls.

The Powerball number is picked on its own. That means you can choose the same number for both parts if you like. For example, 12 could be one of your five main numbers and also your Powerball.

You can choose your own numbers, or you can ask for a Quick Pick, where the lottery terminal picks them at random. Both ways are equally likely to match the draw. No method of choosing numbers gives you better odds than another. Birthdays, patterns and "lucky" numbers feel meaningful, but the drawing machines do not know about them.

Each play costs $2. If you want several plays, each one is a separate set of numbers and costs $2 on its own.

When the Powerball draws happen

The main Powerball draw is held three times a week:

• Monday
• Wednesday
• Saturday

The draw happens at 10:59 p.m. Eastern Time. If you live in another time zone, the clock time where you are will be different. Our guide to Powerball draw times and days by time zone shows how that works.

If you want to know how the balls are chosen, read how lottery numbers are drawn. The short version is that the numbers are random, and every draw is independent of the last one.

How you win: the prize tiers

You do not need to match all six numbers to win something. There are nine prize tiers. The table below lists each one, the odds of hitting it on a single play and the base prize. These figures come from the Powerball rules that apply to tickets checked today.

| You match | Odds on one play | Prize | |---|---|---| | 5 + Powerball | 1 in 292,201,338 | Jackpot (varies) | | 5 | 1 in 11,688,054 | $1,000,000 | | 4 + Powerball | 1 in 913,129 | $50,000 | | 4 | 1 in 36,525 | $100 | | 3 + Powerball | 1 in 14,494 | $100 | | 3 | 1 in 580 | $7 | | 2 + Powerball | 1 in 701 | $7 | | 1 + Powerball | 1 in 91.98 | $4 | | Powerball only | 1 in 38.32 | $4 |

Here is how to read it. "1 in 292,201,338" means that, on average, one play out of about 292 million would match all six numbers. Most plays will not win the jackpot, and that is simply how the game is built.

The odds of winning any prize on one play are 1 in 24.87. That includes the small $4 prizes. It does not mean you will win if you play 25 times. Each play has the same chance, and past results do not change it. For a deeper look at each tier, see Powerball odds explained for every prize tier.

The order of your numbers does not matter. Only whether they appear in the draw counts. For the Powerball, though, you must match the red ball itself. A matching white number does not count in its place.

About the jackpot

The jackpot is the top prize. It is not a fixed amount. It changes from draw to draw, so check the official Powerball site or the jackpot shown at the store for the current figure.

Winners of big prizes often have a choice between payment options and have to think about taxes. Those topics are covered in annuity vs cash option and how much tax is due on lottery winnings. They are worth reading before you ever need them, but neither one changes how the game is played.

Power Play: the optional multiplier

Power Play is an add-on that costs $1 extra per play. You choose it for each play you buy, so you can add it to one play and skip it on the next.

Here is how it works. At each draw, a multiplier is drawn: 2x, 3x, 4x, 5x or 10x. If you bought Power Play, that multiplier is applied to your fixed prizes below the jackpot.

A few examples:

• A $4 prize with a 3x multiplier becomes $12.
• A $7 prize with a 2x multiplier becomes $14.
• A $50,000 prize with a 2x multiplier becomes $100,000.

There are two special rules to remember:

1. Matching 5 numbers pays $2,000,000 with Power Play. That prize is a fixed amount. It is not multiplied by the drawn number. Without Power Play, matching 5 pays $1,000,000.
2. Power Play never changes the jackpot. The jackpot is the same whether you bought the add-on or not.

Power Play does not change your odds of matching any numbers. It only changes how much a non-jackpot prize pays when you do win one. It also adds to the cost of the play, so a play with Power Play costs $3 in total.

Double Play: a second draw with the same numbers

Double Play is another optional add-on. It costs $1 extra per play, and you choose it for each play.

With Double Play, your same numbers are entered into a second draw. That second draw has its own set of prizes, and the top prize is $10,000,000. You can win in the main draw, in the Double Play draw, in both, or in neither.

The key thing to know is that Double Play is not sold everywhere. It is available only in these places:

AZ, CO, CT, DE, DC, FL, ID, IN, IA, KS, KY, ME, MD, MI, MS, MO, MT, NE, NJ, NM, NY, NC, OK, PA, PR, SC, SD, TN, VI and WA.

If your state is not on the list, you will not see the option. The Double Play prize chart is on the official Powerball site, so check it for the full list of Double Play prizes. Because the Double Play draw has its own prizes, do not assume they match the main draw table above.

After the draw: check your ticket

Once the draw is over, you need to see whether your numbers matched. Here is a simple routine:

1. Sign your ticket and keep it somewhere safe and dry.
2. Find the official winning numbers for the draw date printed on your ticket.
3. Compare your five numbers and your Powerball with the draw.
4. Count how many white numbers matched, and whether the Powerball matched too.
5. Look up that match in the prize chart.

If you do not want to compare by hand, the LottoCheck app can scan your ticket, show the results and tell you whether it won. Results in the app are unofficial, and the official results always prevail. For a full walkthrough, read how to check a lottery ticket step by step. You can also look at the latest Powerball results.

If you think you have a winning ticket, use the official lottery in the state or territory where you bought it for claim instructions. Be careful with anyone who contacts you first about a prize. Our guide on how lottery scams work explains the warning signs.

Good habits for new players

Powerball is a game of chance, and nothing can improve your odds. A few simple habits make it easier to keep it as light entertainment:

• Set a budget first. Decide how much you are comfortable spending, and treat it as the price of entertainment, like a movie ticket.
• Do not chase losses. A past loss does not make a win more likely next time.
• Do not treat tickets as an investment. Most plays do not win, and the game is not a way to make money.
• Ignore "due" numbers. A number that has not appeared lately is no more likely to appear next. Number statistics on the stats page describe past draws only. They do not predict the next one.
• Add-ons cost extra. Power Play and Double Play are both optional. Skipping them is perfectly fine.

If you also want to learn a similar game, our guide to how to play Mega Millions covers its rules in plain English. If you ever feel that play is becoming a problem, see our list of gambling help lines.

Play for fun and only spend what you can afford to lose. If gambling stops being fun, call 1-800-GAMBLER for free, confidential help. LottoCheck is for adults 18 and older.