The US Powerball lottery is one of America’s famous lottery games that always ignites and captures players’ imagination with its record-breaking jackpots. It is a multi-state lottery game operating in every American State, excluding six (6) States, such as the District of Columbia, the US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.
Here’s some information on how you can play America’s Powerball lottery from anywhere in the world.
Related Article: 7 Ways To Boost Your US Powerball Odds
Can I play the Powerball from outside the US?
Gone are the days where you had to physically be in America to play the US Powerball lottery. The convenience of the internet has brought the world closer, making it possible for you to buy American Powerball lottery tickets online from anywhere in the world.
An advantage of playing the US Powerball online on Lotto247 is you do not need to worry about your ticket being lost, stolen or damaged, as it is stored securely in your Lotto247 account.
Remember, you have to be 18 years or older to play the US Powerball lottery on Lotto247.
How to play the US Powerball online?
Winning a US Powerball lottery jackpot is an indescribable feeling that ushers in a life of luxurious adventures. But, to live the life of your dreams, you first need to play and win the Powerball lottery jackpot.
So, how do you play the US Powerball lottery online on Lotto247? It is simple, and this is how you do it;
Step 1 – Create your Lotto247 account
If you do not have an account with us, you’ll need to create one first. It’s free and only takes a few minutes.
To become a Lotto247 player, click on the ‘Register’ button at the top of the page, fill in the registration form and submit it.
If you are already a registered Lotto247 player, log in to your account and start playing.
Step 2 – Deposit funds
After you have created your Lotto247 account, you can deposit funds into your account using our various safe and secure payment methods.
Depending on your location, you can deposit funds using a credit card, web wallet or other local payment options.
Step 3 – Select the US Powerball lottery
When the funds reflect in your account, you are now ready to play the US Powerball. Go to the Play Powerball page to buy your tickets, or find it on the Lotto247 homepage.
Tip: The US Powerball is a two-drum lottery game. One (1) drum holds 69 white balls, while the second drum contains 26 red balls.
So, now that you have chosen to play the US Powerball lottery, you need to:
- Choose five (5) numbers from 69 possible numbers.
- Select one (1) number from 26 possible numbers.
Step 4 – Manually choose your lucky numbers
You can select your lucky numbers by clicking on the numbers, and the chosen squares will change from white to red after you choose them.
Click on the arrow next to “Bonus” to select your Bonus Ball.
Step 5 – Or use the Quick Pick Method to choose your numbers
The Quick Pick method uses a random number generator to pick numbers for you. Using this method is ideal if you are running out of time or need some inspiration.
For a single entry, select the +1 icon, and the random number generator will pick a set of numbers for you.
While for bulk entries, you can opt to select +5, +10 or +20 and this way, you will have five (5), 10 or 20 entries into the US Powerball lottery.
Step 6 – Edit your numbers
To change a number, click on “edit numbers” to change the specific number. Click on them, and they will change from red back to white. Now you can reselect the numbers you wish to play.
If you want to change all your numbers, select the trash bin icon to clear all your numbers, and the squares will change back to white. You now have a blank board to choose your new numbers.
Step 7 – Confirm your numbers and enter future draws
After you have chosen your numbers, the following step is to confirm them. If you are happy with the numbers you have picked and want to enter one (1) draw, click “Play Now”, and you are all done.
Lotto247 has a feature that allows you to enter future US Powerball lottery draws with the same numbers you have just selected. See the “Future Draws” section? You can increase the number to the amount of draws you want to enter in the future.
The edit your number section feature allows you to change your number selection.
Step 8 – Editing your numbers again
When navigating from the Confirm Numbers screen in step 7;
- Choose which row you want to change.
- Click on the “edit” icon on the left.
- The whiteboard will appear, and you will have to choose your new numbers again.
Step 9 – Complete your purchase
View your purchase summary before completing it and click “Play Now” to confirm your entry into the US Powerball lottery.
When is the US Powerball draw?
The US Powerball gives you two (2) chances every week to win its life-changing jackpot.
Powerball holds its draw every Wednesday and Saturday at 22:59 (ET) at the Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida, USA. You can buy Powerball lottery tickets online on Lotto247 at any time until an hour before the draw.
When you play the US Powerball on Lotto247, you will benefit from the ease of checking the draw results. That is because the US Powerball lottery results are updated immediately after each draw, and you can always check the latest results on the US Powerball results page.
How to win the US Powerball jackpot?
If you want to win the US Powerball jackpot, you need to match the five (5) white numbers, including the one (1) red Powerball.
Are there any special US Powerball lottery draws?
As captivating and exciting as the US Powerball is, it does not have any special draws. However, despite not having any special draws, the US Powerball lottery continuously produces some of the world’s largest jackpot prizes.
What is the bonus Powerball?
The Powerball or the bonus ball, red in colour, is a crucial ball because it is the reason you can be a US Powerball jackpot winner. It is drawn from the second rotating drum that contains 26 possible numbers.
What are the chances of winning the US Powerball lottery jackpot?
Your chances of winning the US Powerball jackpot, or other prizes, remain the same in every draw. For you to win any US Powerball prize, you have a 1 in 24.87 chance.
You have a 1 in 292,201,338 chance of winning the US Powerball jackpot and a 1 in 11,688,053 chance of winning the second-tier prize.
Below is a table listing your chance of winning any Powerball prize;
| Match | Prize Category | Winning Chances |
|---|---|---|
| Five (5) numbers + Powerball | Jackpot | 1 in 292,201,338 |
| Five (5) numbers | 2nd Prize | 1 in 11,688,053 |
| Four (4) numbers + Powerball | 3rd Prize | 1 in 913,129 |
| Four (4) numbers | 4th Prize | 1 in 36,525 |
| Three (3) numbers + Powerball | 5th Prize | 1 in 14,494 |
| Three (3) numbers | 6th Prize | 1 in 579 |
| Two (2) numbers + Powerball | 7th Prize | 1 in 701 |
| One (1) number + Powerball | 8th Prize | 1 in 92 |
| Powerball | 9th Prize | 1 in 38 |
| Overall chances of winning any Powerball prize are 1 in 24.87 | ||
How does the US Powerball lottery pay out?
There are two (2) available payout options when you have won the American Powerball lottery jackpot, lump-sum or annuity payout.
Lump-sum payout
This payout option pays out your winnings immediately, and you’ll receive approximately 60% of the jackpot after tax deductions.
Annuity payout
The annuity payout differs from the lump-sum option in that your winnings will be paid out in a series of yearly payments for a predetermined number of years. You’ll receive the first payment immediately, and the remaining windfall will be paid out in approximately 29 years.
All annuity payments increase by an estimated 4%, making the final payment the largest. The annuity payout option is calculated based on the declared US Powerball jackpot winning total.
It is advisable to seek professional financial advice for managing large lottery winnings.
Does the US Powerball lottery have a jackpot rollover cap?
There is a minimum starting jackpot of US $40 million, which grows by approximately US $10 million when the jackpot is not won. The US Powerball lottery does not have a jackpot rollover cap, and it will continue to roll over to the next draw until it has been won.
However, it is essential to remember that when the US Powerball jackpot rolls over; it is not a guarantee that it will be won.
How do you know you have won the US Powerball?
Nothing can be as heartbreaking as winning the US Powerball jackpot or other prizes and not knowing you are a winner.
When you play the US Powerball lottery on Lotto247 and win the jackpot or other prizes, we will make sure you do not miss out on your winnings. Immediately after the draw, we will email you the US Powerball lottery results.
After the US Powerball lottery results are published, we will immediately credit your Lotto247 account with your winnings if you matched the winning numbers. One of our friendly Lotto247 customer service agents will call to congratulate you if you won £/$/€200 or more.
The US Powerball prize table
There is more to America’s US Powerball lottery than just the jaw-dropping, record-making jackpots. Prizes ranging from a modest US $4 to a rewarding US $2 million are up for grabs during every draw.
The value of the prize you win depends on the numbers you matched. Moreover, the number of prizes won in each draw is limited only by how many players matched the winning numbers.
Below is a table with the prize you can win;
| Match | Prize |
|---|---|
| Five (5) numbers + Powerball | Jackpot |
| Five (5) numbers | $1,000,000 |
| Four (4) numbers + Powerball | $50,000 |
| Four (4) numbers | $100 |
| Three (3) numbers + Powerball | $100 |
| Three (3) numbers | $7 |
| Two (2) numbers + Powerball | $7 |
| One (1) number + Powerball | $4 |
| Powerball | $4 |
History of the US Powerball lottery
1988 is the year that will famously live in the memory of many avid lottery players. It is the year the US Powerball was launched, and it operated under the name “Lotto America”. Four (4) years later, in 1992, it held its first draw under its new name, “Powerball”, and was the first lottery to use a two (2) drum system in its draws.
Using two (2) drums revolutionised the lottery industry, creating high jackpot winning chances and numerous lucrative prize levels. Due to the Powerball’s tremendous success, more States joined (44 in total), and changes to the prize structure were also implemented.
Other changes included introducing a cash option for the jackpot and a change to the annuity prize duration from 20 yearly payments to 30 years.
US Powerball’s biggest jackpot winners
Since its inception, the US Powerball lottery has produced some of the world’s biggest jackpot wins.
The largest Powerball jackpot win was recorded in January 2016 when John and Lisa Robinson won the US $1.586 billion jackpot. In March 2019, Manuel Franco won the second-largest US Powerball jackpot, US $768.4 million. Mavis L. Wanczyk scooped the third-largest jackpot in August 2017 when she won the massive US $758.7 million jackpot.
These are extraordinary exceptions, and the US Powerball has been able to produce other instant multi-millionaires. Here are the top 10 largest-ever Powerball jackpot winners:
| Winner | Jackpot Amount | Lucky Numbers | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| John and Lisa Robinson | US $1.586 billion | 04 – 08 – 19 – 27 – 34 (10) | January 2016 |
| Manuel Franco | US $768.4 million | 16 – 20 – 37 – 44 – 62 (12) | March 2019 |
| Mavis L. Wanczyk | US $758.7 million | 06 – 07 – 16 – 23 – 26 (04) | August 2017 |
| Lyrenne West | US $687.8 million | 08 – 12 – 13 – 19 – 27 (04) | October 2018 |
| Gloria MacKenzie | US $590 million | 10 – 13 – 14 – 22 – 52 (11) | May 2013 |
| Cindy and Mark Hill, Matthew Good | US $587.5 million | 05 – 16 – 22 – 23 – 29 (06) | November 2012 |
| Anonymous, Marie Holmes and TL Management Group | US $564 million | 11 – 13 – 25 – 39 – 54 (19) | February 2015 |
| Good Karma Family 2018 Nominee Trust | US $559.7 million | 12 – 29 – 30 – 33 – 61 (26) | January 2018 |
| Robin Egg 2016 Nominee Trust | US $487 million | 11 – 17 – 21 – 23 – 32 (5) | July 2016 |
| Emerald Legacy Trust | US $456.7 million | 22 – 57 – 59 – 60 – 66 (7) | March 2018 |
Help with playing US Powerball online
If you need help or have any questions about playing the US Powerball lottery online on Lotto247, please visit our Powerball Resource Centre or contact our customer service team for support.
