Let's Play

Stay up to date with all the latest Lotto news and Lotto Results by following us on social media.
other lotteries
Powerball is a 5/69 plus 1/26 multi-state lottery game in the United States offered by 45 states, Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands and the District of Columbia. It’s operated by the Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL) which is a non-profit organisation established under agreement with US Lotteries.
As of March 2020, the starting jackpot for Powerball is US$ 20 million (reset from US$40 million) with a US$ 2 million roll-over per draw if no-one matches all the drawn numbers, including the Powerball.
Powerball draws take place twice a week on Wednesdays and Saturdays and it costs US$ 2 per play or US$ 3 with the Power Play option.
The largest Powerball jackpot paid out was in January 2016 and broke the world record for jackpot winnings at the time. A whopping US$ 1.586 billion payout was shared between three ticket holders from California, Tennessee and Florida. It’s hard to imagine what you would do with that kind of money.
Powerball is operated by Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL). It’s a non-profit, government-benefit association that was formed in December 1987 by an agreement with US lotteries. MUSL administers a collection of draw games, scratch-off games and charitable lotteries that are offered by 45 participating states across the United States. The dominant and most popular lottery in the mix is Powerball.
Each MUSL member offers one or more of the games administered by MUSL. All profits are retained by the individual lotteries and are used to fund designated charitable causes. These are approved by the legislature that authorises each lottery.
MUSL launched its first draw game in February 1988 called Lotto America. The name of the game was later changed to Powerball when the unique two-drum format was introduced, which includes a second drum for the bonus numbers (Powerball).
In 2009, MUSL signed a MOU with the consortium of states that operated the popular Mega Millions. The agreement gives MUSL participating states license to cross-sell Mega Millions and Powerball tickets and the consortium members are licensed to sell Powerball tickets.
From 2016, Powerball and Mega Millions is cross-sold in 46 jurisdictions in America, including the US Virgin Islands and the District of Columbia. MUSL operates Powerball in Puerto Rico but Mega Millions is not currently offered.
MUSL is responsible for a wide range of services that range from game design, game financing to social media marketing, website development, information technology, security standards and vendor inspections. MUSL also initiated the development of a quantum-based Random Number Generator (RNG).
The participating member states adhere to the same core game rules for Powerball and all draw games and scratch-off games that are cross-sold across state lines. However, each state lottery organisation sets its own rules on aspects such as the gaming age restriction, claim period, anonymity of winners, validation of tickets and promotional events.
The following states offer their own lotteries and as members of MUSL are licensed to sell Powerball tickets:
Powerball generates billions of US Dollars for the member states and the US government benefits from federal tax levied on winnings. A number of states levy state income tax on winnings.
MUSL members determine what charitable cause it will fund. Most states a bigger portion of profits from ticket sales to public education and/or healthcare.
In October 2015, the main group of numbers for Powerball was increased from 59 to 69 numbers. The Powerball pool of numbers was decreased from 35 to 26 numbers.
Powerball keeps increasing the odds as part of its drive to produce massive jackpots that attract huge attention. The odds of winning have increased significantly where 5 numbers are chosen from a main pool and 1 number is chosen from a bonus pool.
It is possible to bet on US Powerball in South Africa. Register and open an account with a reputable online betting service such as Betway. This means you can now buy tickets online for US Powerball in South Africa from the comfort of your own home or office.
Don’t mistake Powerball with SA Powerball. Many countries have copied the Powerball format and borrowed the name but US Powerball is the first and is one-of-its kind when it comes to record-breaking jackpot payouts.
US Powerball is a twice-weekly fixed-odds betting game that is hugely popular in participating states in America and around the world. You cannot buy a ticket for US Powerball from a South African lottery retail outlet. You can only bet on the lottery game online and/or using the US Powerball mobile app.
The easiest way to access US Powerball in South Africa is downloading a betting app such as the Betway Mobile App. It’s user-friendly, easy to access and developed specifically for Smartphones. The betting mobile app gives you up-to-date notifications about draws and the latest gaming promotions.
Step-by-step guide to betting on US Powerball in South Africa
Powerball is 5/69 plus 1/26 draw game and draws take place twice a week on Wednesdays and Saturdays. It costs US$ 2 per play or US$ 3 per play with Power Play.
Players pick 5 numbers from a main pool of 1 to 69 numbers and 1 number from a Powerball pool of 1 to 26 numbers. Players have the choice of manually selecting their lucky lottery numbers per play or using the Quick Pick feature which randomly generates numbers for a player.
To win the Powerball jackpot, a player must match 5 main numbers and the Powerball number. The odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in about 292 million.
The starting jackpot for Powerball is US$ 2 million and rolls over if no-one matches 5+1 of the drawn numbers. There are 9 ways to win cash prizes betting on Powerball, including the jackpot. Apart from the top prize, all Powerball winnings in the other 8 prize divisions are fixed cash amounts.
The odds of matching at least the Powerball number is 1 in 38 (it was previously 1 in 55). The odds of winning any cash prize is 1 in 24 (it was 1 in 31).
Quick Pick is the easiest way to pick your 6 (5+1) lucky lottery numbers. When you mark the Quick Pick box on your betslip (or tell the cashier to select it), the lottery terminal automatically generates 6 random numbers for you for the draw.
The Quick Pick random number generator for a lottery draw game has no built-in memory. Once a set of numbers is picked for one play, the terminal resets itself to generate a fresh batch of completely random number for the next play.
Players generally opt to use Quick Pick because it saves them the bother of coming up with their own set of unique numbers.
Powerball uses a two-drawn draw format where one drum has white balls for the main pool of 1 to 69 numbers, and the other drum as red balls for the second Powerball pool of 1 to 26 numbers. Each draw, 5 white balls are drawn from the first drum and only one red ball is drawn from the second drum.
The red ball is called the Powerball. To win the Powerball jackpot, players must match 5 out of 5 numbers drawn from the first drum (white balls) and 1 out of 1 numbers drawn from the second drum (red Powerball).
Power Play is a popular add-on to the main game that offers players the chance to multiply any lower-tier cash prize by up to 2, 3, 4, 5 or even 10 times the original value. The base prize is US$ 50 000 and excludes the Powerball jackpot.
The cost of Power Play is US$ 1 per play. Powerball with Power Play costs US$ 3 per play.
Power Play is only played when the jackpot is under US$ 150 million. Power Play is a separate draw where 6 multiplier numbers are drawn from a pool of 42 numbers. Each drawn number correlates with a number by which a cash prize will be multiplied.
When the Power Play game is activated the second-prize tier (5+0) is automatically doubled to US$ 2 million, which is the starting jackpot for Powerball. Without Power Play, the second-prize tier is always US$ 1 million.
Players are faced with the choice of multiplying the number of draws they participate in to increase their chance of winning the Powerball jackpot (with the multiple draw feature) or playing Power Play to improve their chances of increasing any lower-tier winnings.
When Power Play was launched in 2001, the numbers were drawn using a special lottery wheel. By 2007, MUSL had replaced one of the 5-times spaces on the Power Play wheel with a 10-times multiplier.
The 10-time Power Play multiplier is sometimes missing from the game and is never available when the Powerball jackpot is over US$ 150 million. The 5-time multiplier is guaranteed whenever Power Play is played.
The Multi-Draw feature allows players to play the same set of numbers for multiple Powerball draws.
Players select the number of consecutive draws they want to participate or select the Advance Play box on their bet slip.
The number of times a player can participate in consecutive draws is determined by each participating state. There is no set rule for Multi-Draw.
To win the US Powerball jackpot, a player must match 6 out of the 6 drawn numbers. This includes 5 numbers from the main pool of 1 to 69 numbers and 1 number from the Powerball pool of 1 to 26 numbers. The odds of winning the Powerball jackpot are 1 in about 292 million.
Different states have different rules but typically, players have the choice of an annuity payment or a lump-sum payment. Annuity payments are annual installments that range from 25 to 30 years. Most participating states payout an initial amount, followed by annual payouts.
The annual payment increases by 5% until the final payment. The 30 payments add up to the value of the advertised winning jackpot.
Where players opt for a cash lump sum payment, they receive the value of the advertised jackpot less the value of the 5% annual increase. In other words, they come out with less than they would receive over a 25 or 30 year period, depending on the state’s annuity policy.
In South Africa, players must be 18 years and older to purchase and redeem US Powerball tickets online through a licensed betting service such as Betway.
In the United States, players must be 18 years and older to bet on US Powerball. Some states require players be 21 years and older. This is enforced in all states if a player buys Powerball tickets from a retail outlet that also sells alcohol.
You do not have to be a US citizen or US resident to play Powerball. Players who live in states that are not licensed to sell Powerball tickets or are foreign citizens can purchase Powerball from a licensed retail outlet if they are visiting a participating state or bet on the game through a licenses online betting service such as Betway.
Players must meet the legal age requirement to buy a ticket from a retail outlet or bet on a lottery online. Federal and state taxes apply for US citizens.
US Powerball starting jackpot (minimum advertised) is US$ 2 million.
If no-one matches 6 out of the 6 drawn numbers (5 main numbers and 1 Powerball number) to win the jackpot, the big prize rolls overs over to the next drawn. The prize money that would have been paid out to a lucky winner(s) is added to the prize pool for the next draw.
Powerball tickets print the white ball numbers in numerical order of a given play. You can match the white ball numbers in any order of a given play to win a prize.
The red Powerball number of a given play on your ticket must match the red Powerball drawn.
Players cannot crisscross play lines on a ticket or combine numbers from other tickets.
Revenue from Powerball ticket sales is allocated as follows:
US Powerball has 9 prize divisions. The odds of winning any cash prize is 1 in 38 per US$ 1 play.
Numbers matched | Cash Prizes |
---|---|
Match 5 numbers plus Powerball | Jackpot (starts at US$ 2 million) |
Match 5 numbers | US$ 1 million |
Match 4 numbers plus Powerball | US$ 50 000 |
Match 4 numbers | US$ 100 |
Match 3 numbers plus Powerball | US$ 100 |
Match 3 numbers | US$ 7 |
Match 2 numbers plus Powerball | US$ 7 |
Match 2 numbers | US$ 4 |
Match Powerball | US$ 4 |
Power Play multiplies non-jackpot prizes by up to 2, 3, 4, 5 and even 10-times the base value.
The size of the jackpot does not increase with when Power Play is played and the add-on game is only played with the jackpot is less than US$ 150 million.
For example:
Cash prize of US$ 50 000
Cash prize of US$ 100
Power Play multiplies non-jackpot prizes by up to 2, 3, 4, 5 and even 10-times the base value.
The size of the jackpot does not increase with when Power Play is played and the add-on game is only played with the jackpot is less than US$ 150 million.
For example:
Players must claim the jackpot and any other cash prize in the state where they bought their tickets.
As a general rule, players can claim a prize of up to US$ 600 from any licensed lottery retailer in the state where they bought the ticket.
Powerball cash prizes that are over US$ 600 can be claimed from any authorised Lottery Claim Centre in the state where the ticket was bought.
The big Powerball jackpot and large cash prizes must be claimed for the head office of the state lottery in the jurisdiction where the ticket was bought.
Claiming a Powerball cash prize in South Africa is easy if you have bet online through a licensed betting service such as Betway. Your cash winnings are automatically transferred to your registered lottery account and can then be transferred into your personal bank account.
If you die before you receive the full value of your US Powerball jackpot payout in the 25-year annual installments, the remaining money is paid out immediately to your estate.
The lottery organisation either pays out the remaining proceeds as accelerated payouts or as a discounted lump sum. This depends on the terms and conditions specified by the state where the deceased person bought his or her winning lottery ticket.
Lottery prize winnings are not taxed in South Africa. Any money you win by betting on a lottery is considered capital in nature and is exempt from Income Tax. In addition, lottery prizes benefit from a special exemption from Capital Gains Tax which means no tax is payable on lottery winnings of any size.
The Powerball jackpot and cash prizes as well as any winnings from Power Play are subject to federal and state taxes. The amount of state tax you pay is dependent on the jurisdiction where players have bought their tickets.
Historically, lotteries in America were used not only as a form of entertainment but as a source of revenue to help fund the colonies. For instance, the financiers of Jamestown, Virginia introduced lotteries to raise money to build infrastructure and fund healthcare and education in the state.
These lotteries were quite sophisticated for the time period and even included instant winners. It wasn’t long before each of the 13 original colonies in America had established a lottery system to raise much-needed state funds.
In the early post-independence era, legislators commonly authorised lotteries to fund schools, roads, bridges and other public works. In the 1830s, evangelical reformers began denouncing lotteries on moral grounds and petitioned legislatures and constitutional conventions to ban them. Recurring lottery scandals and a general backlash against legislative corruption following the Panic of 1837 also contributed to anti-lottery sentiments.
From 1844 to 1859 alone, 10 new state constitutions contained lottery bans. By 1890, lotteries were prohibited in every state except Delaware and Louisiana.
The first modern government-run US lottery was established in Puerto Rico in 1934. This was followed, decades later by the New Hampshire lottery in 1964. Instant lottery tickets – known as scratch cards – were introduced in the 1970s and have become a major source of lottery revenue.
As of November 2019, lotteries are established in 45 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands. The most recent US state to legalise a lottery is Mississippi where a lottery commission was established in October 2018.
In September 1987, the Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL) was established to administer lotteries offered in 45 participating states. Each MUSL member offers one or more of the games administered by MUSL and are licensed to cross-sell major lottery games such as Mega Millions.
Lotto America was launched in 1988 and was the pre-cursor to Powerball. The multi-state lottery game was changed to a two-drum draw format in April 1992 and renamed Powerball. This is because the second drum held the red Powerballs which in other lottery games is the bonus ball or number.
Let’s look at the popular draw games and how they compare to US Powerball.
Game | Odds of winning | Prize winning estimate |
---|---|---|
US Powerball | 1 in 292 million Match 6 numbers (5+1) | Jackpot (starts at US$ 20 million) Uncapped jackpot |
Mega Millions | 1 in 302.5 million Match 6 numbers (5+1) | Jackpot (starts at US$ 40 million) Uncapped jackpot |
Euro Millions | 1 in 139 838 160 Match 6 numbers (5+1) | Jackpot (starts at € 17 million) Capped at €200 million |
US Powerball lays claim to 8 out of 10 of the largest jackpot lotteries ever paid out in the world. The largest jackpot ever paid out was US$ 1.586 billion in January 2016.
Mega Millions has made it twice on the world’s Top 10 lottery jackpot payouts, including a record-breaking US$ 1.537 billion in October 2018.
March 2019 | Powerball | $ 768.4 million |
---|---|---|
October 2018 | Powerball | $ 687.8 million |
October 2018 | Mega Millions | $ 1.537 billion |
August 2017 | Powerball | $ 758.7 million |
January 2016 | Powerball | $ 1.586 billion |
February 2015 | Powerball | $ 564.1 million |
May 2013 | Powerball | $ 590.5 million |
December 2013 | Powerball | $ 648 million |
November 2012 | Powerball | $ 587.5 million |
March 2012 | Mega Millions | $ 656 million |
US Powerball is a game of chance and there is no accurate way to predict the numbers that will be drawn each day. However, you can increase your chance of winning a lottery payout by being in the game more often.
You can do this in 4 ways:
Remember to check your daily ticket. It’s amazing how many lottery winnings are not claimed by players. Always write your name and number on the back of your ticket in case you lose it.
US Powerball is world famous for its massive jackpot payouts and exciting game format. Only Mega Millions competes in the Top 10 biggest jackpot payouts in the world, where US Powerball has made it 8 out of 10 times on the list.
Mega Millions narrowly broke the jackpot world record that Powerball held when a lucky player won an unbelievable US$ 1.537 billion in October 2018. The largest Powerball jackpot had stood at US$ 1.586 billion since January 2016.
Those massive jackpot figures have lottery players from around the world scrambling over themselves to buy tickets, despite the odds of winning it being 1 in about 292 million.
There are many myths that circulate online that create the impression that players can elude the odds and win big cash prizes betting on lotteries such as the US Powerball. Don’t be fooled by these myths and use common sense when betting on any lottery.
Here are 10 common lottery myths:
The lottery system draws numbers using a random algorithm and numbers picked manually or using Quick Pick have an equal chance of being drawn. There is no proof that Quick Pick creates more winners. Quick Pick is convenient and saves you from having to come up with your own numbers all the time.
The thinking is that when you combine numbers, the probability changes and the probability of your number combination depends on its structure. Some combinations will appear more often than others and some combinations are not likely to appear.
The lottery does not work on individual numbers. You have to pick 5 or 6 correct numbers to win a cash prize. The thinking is if you look at combination patterns rather than individual numbers and you use mathematics with binomial coefficients and a detailed probability analysis, it is possible to determine winning number combinations.
The thinking is that you can tell how a pattern performs in a given number of draws by multiplying probability by the number of draws to get the estimation.
This is where players pick the most common numbers that have occurred in the past 100 draws. According to the probability theory, every number has an equal chance of being drawn but if a single number appears at a higher frequency, then the other numbers will occur more or less in the same frequency over a large number of trials.
Actually, this is the ‘worst time’ to play the lottery because big jackpots attract substantially more lottery players. There’s a good chance that if you win a big payout on a lottery with a big jackpot, you will have to share it with other lucky winning players.
This is an ‘old-wives’ tale because there are no unlucky or unlucky numbers. All numbers have the same theoretical probability of being drawn.
Again, the argument is to look at number combinations rather than individual numbers. What is known is that playing all-odd numbers or all-even numbers reduces your chance of winning a lottery payout because numbers like this in a combination rarely occur.
Lottery experts tell you not to use numbers that are dates for birthdays, anniversaries or your children’s ages because they are poor numbers. It’s not because they’re poor numbers but because they’re likely to be used by many other people. This means that a jackpot payout will be shared with many players.
The only reason you would pick numbers on a board using a pattern such as a zig-zag or up-down-sideways pattern is if you’ve run out of inspiration to manually pick your own numbers. In this case, use the QuickPick option and the machine will randomly generate numbers for you.
The odds of winning the US Powerball jackpot is 1 in about 292 million per US$ 2 play.
However, there are 8 other prize divisions and more ways to win cash prizes betting on US Powerball.
Numbers matched | Cash Prizes | Odds of winning |
---|---|---|
Match 5 numbers plus Powerball | Jackpot (starts at US$ 2 million) | 1 in 292 201 338 |
Match 5 numbers | US$ 1 million | 1 in 11 688 053 |
Match 4 numbers plus Powerball | US$ 50 000 | 1 in 913 129 |
Match 4 numbers | US$ 100 | 1 in 36 525 |
Match 3 numbers plus Powerball | US$ 100 | 1 in 14 494 |
Match 3 numbers | US$ 7 | 1 in 579 |
Match 2 numbers plus Powerball | US$ 7 | 1 in 701 |
Match 2 numbers | US$ 4 | 1 in 91 |
Match Powerball | US$ 4 | 1 in 38 |
US Powerball is not a scam and is a legal lottery offered by a legitimate multi-state lottery association which administers the lottery game in 45 states in the United States as well as the District of Columbia, US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.
This means you can play US Powerball with the confidence that the big jackpot payouts and cash winnings from the prize tiers in each jurisdiction are guaranteed.
On a general note, don’t be taken by any of lottery scam that promises you unexpected prize money for a competition or lottery that you have never entered.
Operators of state lotteries such as US Powerball will never contact you directly to notify you of a prize you have won. If you receive a message or phone call telling you that you’ve won a prize, it is a scam. Never give out your personal and identity details if requested and never pay a fee to receive a so-called cash prize.
Someone contacts you either by email, text message or phone to say you have won a lot of money on a competition using your name and details from something like a promotion or research survey. You are requested to pay a fee to claim your prize which is to cover the cost of transferring the money to your account.
You’re also asked to provide your banking details where the money should be paid out. The email or text is always ‘urgent’ and you’re told to respond quickly or risk losing out on the prize money.
The scammers make money from the ‘fee’ you pay them or they use your banking details to take wipe out your bank account.
People do fall for these lottery scams because the scammers are masters at what they do. They usually have obtained your personal information which makes it sound like a legitimate deal. Sometimes, the scammers even send you money as ‘part of your winnings’. This cheque will bounce but often only after you have given them more information and money they ask for.
You receive correspondence via email, text or phone to say you’ve won a guaranteed prize in a lottery or competition but you never bought a ticket or entered the competition.
The scammer claims you are a winner using personal email and social media information that makes it look genuine.
To claim your prize, the scammers ask you to buy pay a fee or tax on the prize money.
You’re asked to provide personal details such as your ID and contact details such as a postal address as well as banking details for the electronic transfer.
Ignore anything that is suspicious. Do not even reply to a message saying you’ve won a large cash prize or even something like a fancy holiday, electronic goods or gifts.
Never pay a fee to win a prize. Ithuba National Lottery does not charge a fee for any prize-winning transaction and the only way they can access your banking details is from the authorised Prize Claim Form that you are required to complete.
Don’t trust anyone who asks you to send them money or give your credit card, banking details or copies of personal information in exchange for prize money.
If massive multi-million jackpots excite you, US Powerball will be your favourite lottery. It’s available in 45 jurisdictions in the United States as well as the District of Colombia, US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rica. And now with advanced lottery technology, players from around the world can play US Powerball betting online through mobile apps and licensed betting services such as Betway.
US Powerball has paid out 8 of the 10 biggest jackpots ever won in the world, including a whopping US$ 1.586 billion in January. Mega Millions narrowly beat that jackpot world record when it paid out US$ 1.537 billion in October 2018.
The 5/69 plus 1/26 lottery game is drawn twice a week and costs US$ 2 per play. The add-on game Power Play offers players a chance to multiply their cash prizes by up to 5 and 10-times the base value. To be ‘in it to win it’, choose the Multi-Draw feature to participate in consecutive draws.
US Powerball is operated by independent state lottery organisations under license. Each state has carte blanche to donate profits from ticket revenue to charitable causes of their choice. Most states support healthcare and K-12 public education programmes.
Every time you buy a US Powerball ticket, you stand the chance of becoming a multi-millionaire jackpot winner. But more importantly, over a third of all profits made from US Powerball ticket sales goes towards a good cause.
Table of Content
Stay up to date with all the latest Lotto news and Lotto Results by following us on social media.