The Powerball drawing takes place every Wednesday and Saturday night at 7:59 p.m. Pacific Time in California. This means that the next Powerball drawing will be held tonight, Saturday, October 14, 2023 at 7:59 p.m. PT.
When and where does the Powerball drawing take place?
The Powerball drawing is held twice a week, on Wednesday and Saturday evenings, at 10:59 p.m. Eastern Time. The drawings take place at the Florida Lottery’s draw studio in Tallahassee, Florida.
For California, this means the drawing takes place at 7:59 p.m. Pacific Time on draw nights. California is 3 hours behind Florida, so the drawing occurs 3 hours earlier in California than on the east coast.
How can I watch the Powerball drawing live?
There are a few ways to watch the Powerball drawing live:
- On television – The drawing is televised live on various local TV stations in California. You can check your local listings for the channel.
- Online – The Powerball website hosts a live stream of the drawing online at powerball.com/watch-drawing.
- Powerball YouTube channel – The drawing is streamed live at youtube.com/powerball.
- California Lottery website – A replay of the drawing is typically posted at calottery.com after it airs live.
How do I buy Powerball tickets in California?
Powerball tickets can be purchased in California at any licensed lottery retailer, including convenience stores, gas stations, liquor stores, and supermarkets. Here are some tips for buying Powerball tickets in California:
- Ask for a Powerball Quick Pick or choose your own numbers on a playslip.
- Tickets can be purchased up to 7 draws (weeks) in advance.
- Tickets must be purchased by 7:00 p.m. PT on the day of the draw to be eligible.
- Ticket prices are $2 per play. Each play has odds of 1 in 292 million to win the jackpot.
- For an additional $1 per play, add Power Play to multiply non-jackpot prizes.
How does the Powerball jackpot grow?
The Powerball jackpot starts at $40 million and continues to grow based on ticket sales and rollovers. Each time the jackpot is not awarded, the money rolls over into the next draw.
The jackpot grows rapidly when many people continue to buy tickets seeking the huge payout. More ticket sales means a bigger potential jackpot.
There have been occasions when the Powerball jackpot has climbed above $1 billion due to excessive rollovers. The record Powerball jackpot to date is $1.586 billion shared by 3 tickets in January 2016.
What are the odds of winning Powerball?
The odds of winning any Powerball prize are 1 in 24.9. The odds of winning each prize are:
| Prize | Odds |
|---|---|
| Jackpot | 1 in 292,201,338 |
| $1 million (match 5 + PB) | 1 in 11,688,053.52 |
| $50,000 (match 4 + PB) | 1 in 913,129.18 |
| $100 (match 4) | 1 in 36,525.17 |
| $100 (match 3 + PB) | 1 in 14,494.11 |
| $7 (match 3) | 1 in 579.76 |
| $4 (match 2 + PB) | 1 in 701.33 |
As you can see, matching more numbers improves your odds, but the jackpot odds are still extremely long. Playing with others in an office pool or syndicate can help improve your chances.
What are the Powerball rules?
Here are the basic rules for playing Powerball:
- Choose 5 main numbers from 1 to 69.
- Choose 1 Powerball number from 1 to 26.
- Match all 5 + the Powerball to win the jackpot.
- Prizes are also awarded for partially matching numbers.
- To win the jackpot, the ticket must be worth $4 or more.
- A Power Play option is available for multiplying non-jackpot prizes.
- Tickets cost $2 per play.
- Drawings are held every Wednesday and Saturday.
Overall, the game is simple – pick 5 numbers and 1 Powerball. But the odds are long, so multiple tickets or group play is recommended.
Is the Powerball drawing truly random?
Yes, the Powerball drawing process is designed to be truly random to produce unpredictable numbers.
Here are measures to ensure a random drawing:
- Two separate machines are used – one to draw the 5 main numbers, the other to draw the Powerball.
- The drawing machines contain numbered balls that are mixed thoroughly before each draw.
- The machines and lottery draw room are under 24/7 surveillance.
- An independent auditing firm oversees the drawing.
- Drawings are conducted under the supervision of lottery security officials.
These security procedures guarantee a fair and random outcome free from tampering or manipulation. Players can have confidence that the published winning numbers are authentic.
What happens if there is a Powerball winner in California?
If a ticket sold in California matches all 6 numbers to win the Powerball jackpot, the lucky ticket holder can claim the prize by following these steps:
- Sign the back of the winning ticket immediately.
- Contact the California Lottery or have the retailer validate the ticket.
- Make a photocopy of both sides of the ticket for records.
- Hire legal and financial advisors to assist with claiming the prize.
- Call the Lottery to make an appointment to visit a regional office and start the claims process.
- Choose either the annuity or cash value option.
- Claim the ticket within 180 days of the draw.
- Be prepared to pay federal and state taxes.
The California Lottery will assist the winner through the entire claims process. Past California Powerball winners have opted for the cash value lump sum payment, which is typically around half the advertised jackpot.
What happens if no one wins the Powerball jackpot?
If no ticket matches all 6 numbers in a Powerball draw, the jackpot simply rolls over and continues growing for the next drawing. This happens whenever the jackpot is not awarded.
All the money allocated for the jackpot carries forward to the next draw and is added to the minimum $40 million starting amount. This cycle continues until a ticket achieves the jackpot win.
Rollovers are the key to Powerball’s ability to offer such gigantic jackpot amounts. When weeks or months pass without a jackpot winner, the top prize can swell to astronomical levels and capture national attention.
What is the biggest Powerball jackpot ever won in California?
The largest Powerball jackpot won in California to date was $315 million. This record prize was claimed by Steve Tran of Northern California in November 2005.
At the time, it set a new record for the state’s largest ever lottery jackpot. Tran took the cash option and ended up with $123 million after federal taxes.
Here are some other notable Powerball wins in California history:
- $174 million – Won in Temecula, Riverside County in April 2018
- $148 million – Won in Monterey County in February 2005
- $141 million – Won in Roseville, Placer County in February 2006
- $110 million – Won in Orange County in April 2016
California has produced its fair share of Powerball jackpot winners over the years. With tonight’s drawing carrying a $XX million prize, a new state record could be in the making!
How does the California Lottery use Powerball revenue?
Revenue from Powerball ticket sales goes to support public education in California. More precisely, here is the lottery revenue distribution:
- 50% to prizes
- 33% to public schools
- At least 16% to retailer commissions and operating expenses
Since Powerball began in April 2013, it has generated more than $3 billion for education across California. The California Lottery provides supplemental funding to the state’s public schools, which is extremely helpful but not a substitute for adequate government education funding.
Is Powerball available in every state?
Currently, Powerball is played in 45 states including California, as well as Washington D.C, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The participating jurisdictions are:
| Arizona | Delaware | Idaho |
| Arkansas | District of Columbia | Indiana |
| California | Florida | Iowa |
| Colorado | Georgia | Kansas |
| Connecticut | Hawaii | Kentucky |
| D.C. | Idaho | Louisiana |
| Delaware | Illinois | Maine |
| Florida | Indiana | Maryland |
| Georgia | Iowa | Massachusetts |
| Hawaii | Kansas | Michigan |
| Idaho | Kentucky | Minnesota |
| Illinois | Louisiana | Mississippi |
| Indiana | Maine | Missouri |
| Iowa | Maryland | Montana |
| Kansas | Massachusetts | Nebraska |
| Kentucky | Michigan | New Hampshire |
| Louisiana | Minnesota | New Jersey |
| Maine | Mississippi | New Mexico |
| Maryland | Missouri | New York |
| Massachusetts | Montana | North Carolina |
| Michigan | Nebraska | North Dakota |
| Minnesota | New Hampshire | Ohio |
| Mississippi | New Jersey | Oklahoma |
| Missouri | New Mexico | Oregon |
| Montana | New York | Pennsylvania |
| Nebraska | North Carolina | Puerto Rico |
| New Hampshire | North Dakota | Rhode Island |
| New Jersey | Ohio | South Carolina |
| New Mexico | Oklahoma | South Dakota |
| New York | Oregon | Tennessee |
| North Carolina | Pennsylvania | Texas |
| North Dakota | Puerto Rico | U.S. Virgin Islands |
| Ohio | Rhode Island | Vermont |
| Oklahoma | South Carolina | Virginia |
| Oregon | South Dakota | Washington |
| Pennsylvania | Tennessee | West Virginia |
| Puerto Rico | Texas | Wisconsin |
| Rhode Island | U.S. Virgin Islands | Wyoming |
Five states – Alabama, Alaska, Hawaii, Nevada and Utah – do not currently participate. But the vast majority of states across most of the U.S. offer Powerball tickets.
Can Powerball ticket holders remain anonymous?
Rules for remaining anonymous as a Powerball jackpot winner vary by jurisdiction.
In California, lottery winners cannot remain anonymous and their identities are public record. The California Lottery is required to release a winner’s name, city/county, prize amount won, draw date and game played.
A few states do allow Powerball winners to keep their identities confidential. Delaware, Kansas, Maryland, North Dakota and Ohio all permit winners to establish blind trusts to claim prizes anonymously.
Most states fall on the side of public disclosure when it comes to jackpot winners. Only a handful offer winners legal protection to keep their identities private.
Conclusion
To summarize the key points:
- The next Powerball drawing is tonight, Saturday, October 14 at 7:59 p.m. PT.
- Tickets can be bought until 7:00 p.m. PT on draw nights in California.
- The drawing can be viewed live online, on TV, or via YouTube.
- Odds of winning the jackpot are around 1 in 292 million.
- Jackpots start at $40 million and grow based on rollovers.
- Winners in California cannot remain anonymous.
- Revenue benefits public education in California.
Tonight’s record Powerball jackpot has captured the attention of the entire nation. We’ll have to wait until this evening to see if a ticket purchased in California can capture the massive prize. Good luck to everyone playing!
