Powerball is one of the most popular lottery games in the United States. It is coordinated by the Multi-State Lottery Association and is available in 45 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Powerball draws occur twice a week, on Wednesdays and Saturdays, at 10:59 p.m. Eastern Time. During each draw, five white balls are drawn from a set of 69 balls, and one red “Powerball” is drawn from a set of 26 balls. To win the jackpot, players must match all five white balls in any order and the red Powerball. The odds of hitting the jackpot are 1 in 292 million.
Powerball Draw Schedule
As mentioned, Powerball draws are held twice weekly, on Wednesdays and Saturdays at 10:59 p.m. Eastern Time. Here is a breakdown of the Powerball draw schedule:
- Wednesday drawings started on April 19, 2006
- Saturday drawings began on January 7, 2012
- Drawings are held at the Florida Lottery’s Tallahassee studios
- Drawings last approximately 5 minutes and are streamed live online
- Results are posted online shortly after each drawing is finished
So in summary, Powerball drawings are held every Wednesday and Saturday night, for a total of 104 drawings per year. Players can watch the drawings live online or wait for the results to be posted.
Changes to the Powerball Schedule
While Powerball has settled into a stable twice weekly drawing schedule, it has not always been this way. Here is an overview of how the Powerball schedule has changed over the years:
- April 22, 1992: Powerball begins, held weekly on Wednesdays
- October 5, 1997: Drawings expand to two nights a week, Wednesdays and Saturdays
- August 1, 1999: Powerball shrinks to one weekly drawing on Saturdays
- January 7, 2012: Saturday drawings return, bringing Powerball back to two nights a week
For the first decade, Powerball only held one drawing per week. It expanded to two nights a week in the late 1990s before scaling back to one weekly drawing in 1999. The current twice weekly drawing schedule began in 2012 and has remained consistent since.
Reasons for Schedule Changes
There are a few key reasons why Powerball has modified its drawing schedule over the years:
Increase Ticket Sales
Expanding to two drawings per week is seen as a way to generate excitement and increase overall ticket sales. The more jackpots there are to be won, the more players will engage.
Keep Jackpots Growing
When Powerball was just once a week, jackpots grew more slowly. Adding a second weekly drawing helped jackpots roll over and build up faster to eye-catching amounts.
Player Demand
Over time, lottery players made it clear they wanted the chance to play and win Powerball more than once a week. Lotteries aim to be responsive to players’ desires.
Compete with Other Lotteries
As other lottery games began offering two or more draws per week, Powerball adapted its schedule in order to remain competitive.
Increase Revenue
Ultimately, more drawings translates to more revenue for the lotteries that offer Powerball. This extra income can then be used to help fund state budgets and projects.
Powerball Schedule Compared to Other Lotteries
How does Powerball’s twice weekly schedule compare to other major U.S. lottery games?
Mega Millions
Like Powerball, Mega Millions also holds its drawings twice a week, on Tuesdays and Fridays at 11 p.m. Eastern Time. Prior to 2013, Mega Millions only held one drawing per week.
Lucky for Life
This popular “lifetime lottery” holds drawings six nights a week, from Monday through Saturday. Lucky for Life is currently offered by 26 lotteries.
Cash4Life
In this lottery, drawings are held nightly from Sunday through Thursday. Cash4Life is available in nine states across the country.
So Powerball fits right in with the typical offering of two drawings per week. Daily lottery games remain less common and are typically state-specific rather than multi-state.
Can Players Buy Tickets Any Day?
Even though Powerball only holds official drawings twice a week, players can buy Powerball tickets even on off-draw days. Here are some key points:
- Tickets can be purchased every day at authorized lottery retailers
- Tickets for the next drawing can be bought as soon as the previous drawing finishes
- Powerball has a rolling jackpot, meaning it grows until someone wins it
- Buying early often ensures ticket availability for popular large jackpots
So while the drawings only fall on Wednesdays and Saturdays, ticket sales remain open daily. Players can purchase tickets for either the next drawing or multiple upcoming draws. This schedule flexibility increases sales and excitement.
How to Play Powerball
Playing Powerball with its twice weekly drawings is easy. Here is a step-by-step overview:
- Visit an authorized lottery retailer to buy ticket
- Choose five numbers from 1 to 69 for the white balls
- Select one number from 1 to 26 for the red Powerball
- Or opt for a Quick Pick and have numbers randomly assigned
- Choose Power Play for extra ways to win (costs extra $1 per play)
- Check ticket against winning numbers after the drawing
- Win cash prizes by matching numbers, including the jackpot for all matches
Players can increase non-jackpot prizes up to 10 times with the Power Play option for an additional $1 per play. Tickets cost $2 per play, or $3 with Power Play added.
Odds of Winning Powerball
The odds of winning any Powerball prize are 1 in 24.9. Here are the odds for each prize:
| Prize | Odds |
|---|---|
| Jackpot | 1 in 292,201,338 |
| $1 million | 1 in 11,688,053.52 |
| $50,000 | 1 in 913,129.18 |
| $100 | 1 in 36.6 |
As shown, matching all six numbers for the jackpot has odds of almost 300 million to 1. Even the second prize has high odds. But the overall 1 in 24.9 chance of winning something makes Powerball enticing.
Notable High and Low Jackpots
Here are some record high and low Powerball jackpots:
Highest Jackpots
- $1.586 billion on 1/13/2016 – Split by winners in CA, FL and TN
- $768.4 million on 3/27/2019 – Won by a single ticket in WI
- $758.7 million on 8/23/2017 – Won by a single ticket in MA
Lowest Jackpots
- $10 million on 8/25/2021 – Won by a single ticket in PA
- $12 million on 9/12/2020 – Split by two tickets in NY and VA
- $15.5 million on 4/8/2020 – Won by a single ticket in FL
Jackpots usually range between the high tens of millions up to a few hundred million dollars. But every now and then, a lengthy roll over period leads to a record-shattering billion-plus jackpot.
Notable Jackpot Wins on Each Draw Day
There have been notable Powerball jackpot wins on both regular draw days.
Notable Wednesday Jackpot Wins
- 8/23/2017 – $758.7 million
- 5/18/2016 – $429.6 million
- 5/8/2013 – $365 million shared by winners in FL and NJ
Notable Saturday Jackpot Wins
- 1/13/2016 – $1.586 billion
- 2/11/2015 – $564.1 million shared by winners in NC, PR and TX
- 11/28/2012 – Record $587.5 million split by winners in AZ and MO
Huge jackpots can be won on either Powerball draw night. But sone especially monumental prizes have been clinched on Saturdays.
Powerball’s Largest Jackpots
Here are the top 10 record Powerball jackpots so far:
- $1.586 billion on January 13, 2016
- $768.4 million on March 27, 2019
- $758.7 million on August 23, 2017
- $731.1 million on January 20, 2021
- $699.8 million on October 4, 2021
- $687.8 million on October 27, 2018
- $590.5 million on May 18, 2013
- $587.5 million on November 28, 2012
- $564.1 million on February 11, 2015
- $559.7 million on January 6, 2018
Eight of the top ten Powerball jackpots have exceeded half a billion dollars. And it took nearly 4 months for that first billion-dollar prize to be won – definitely a rare occurrence!
Recent Notable Powerball Wins
Here are some highlights of major Powerball wins from the past couple years:
- 10/4/2021: $699.8 million in California
- 1/20/2021: $731.1 million split by tickets in Maryland and Florida
- 9/16/2020: $94 million in New York
- 6/10/2020: $22 million in Florida
- 5/23/2020: $150 million in California
- 1/29/2020: $396.9 million in Florida
There seems to be a winning ticket sold every few months. Big jackpots generate widespread interest, leading to more ticket sales.
Famous Powerball Winners
Over the years, there have been several notable or famous people who have won big Powerball prizes:
- Mavis Wanczyk – Won $758.7 million jackpot in 2017, largest ever by a single ticketholder
- Westborough Youth Baseball – Group in MA won $50 million in 2017 from office pool
- “Ocean’s 16” – Group of 16 hospital workers in NJ split $450 million in 2013
- Gloria MacKenzie – 84-year old FL woman won $590.5 million in 2013
- Mark and Cindy Hill – MO couple won half of $587.5 million jackpot in 2012
While most winners opt to remain anonymous nowadays, early big jackpot wins attracted extensive media coverage at times. Some winners became minor celebrities!
State Participation in Powerball
Currently, Powerball is offered in 45 U.S. states as well as Washington D.C., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Here is a map showing participation levels:
The states not participating are:
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Hawaii
- Nevada
- Utah
Five states have chosen not to join Powerball. However, Mega Millions is available in all participating Powerball states, helping ensure nationwide coverage between the two games.
International Powerball Drawings
While Powerball is not currently offered outside of the United States, there have been special coordinated international drawings in the past.
The Big Game
From 1996 to 2008, Powerball drawings were held under The Big Game brand name. For a period from 2001 to 2006, The Big Game added the following international lotteries:
- Lotería de Puerto Rico
- Loterie Nationale du Sénégal
This marked the first time that U.S. and foreign lotteries collaborated on a joint game linked across countries. These lotteries participated in The Big Game drawings for 5 years until withdrawing in 2006. The Big Game changed its name to Mega Millions later that same year.
Lotto America
When Powerball originally launched in 1992, it was under the name Lotto America. During its early days, the Iowa Lottery participated in Lotto America drawings from February to April 1992 before leaving the game. So for a very brief period, Lotto America Powerball spanned both U.S. and international locations. However, this arrangement only lasted less than 3 months before ending.
While Powerball has not expanded beyond the United States since 2006, there is precedent for coordination across lotteries in different countries. Powerball organizers continue to explore ideas to potentially grow the game’s reach in the future.
Conclusion
In summary, Powerball holds twice weekly drawings on Wednesdays and Saturdays. This schedule began in 2012 and seems unlikely to change anytime soon. Offering two drawings allows jackpots to roll over faster while giving players more chances to win. Powerball’s writers and schedule set it apart from other lottery games in the U.S. and sometimes even abroad. With two drawings totaling 104 a year, Powerball provides consistent excitement for lottery lovers across the country.