If you are going to play the Powerball lottery, there's some important information you need to know to play.
A lottery player's dreams came true in California when they won the $1.765 billion jackpot.
The jackpot starts out at $20 million and grows with each drawing that no one wins. It took nearly 40 drawings to reach the billion-dollar jackpot.
Here's a look at some key things you need to know:
What time is the Powerball drawing?
Powerball drawings are held at 10:59 p.m. ET. on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday. Monday drawings were added in 2021.
Looking for an edge?These are the luckiest Powerball numbers
What is the deadline to buy Powerball tickets?
The deadline for purchasing Powerball ticket varies by state so don't wait until the last minute. It can be an hour or more before the actual drawing. For some third-party lottery apps, the deadline can be over two hours before the drawing. For example, Jackpocket in New Jersey has a deadline of 8:45 p.m. for the 10:59 p.m. drawing
Here's a look at each lotteries' deadline (Note: All times are local for that jurisdiction):
- Arizona: 6:59 p.m.
- Arkansas: 8:59 p.m.
- California: 7 p.m.
- Colorado: 7:30 p.m.
- Connecticut: 10 p.m.
- Delaware: 9:45 p.m.
- District of Columbia: 9:45 p.m.
- Florida: 10 p.m.
- Georgia: 10 p.m.
- Idaho: 7:54 p.m.
- Illinois: 9 p.m.
- Indiana: 9:58 p.m.
- Iowa: 8:59 p.m.
- Kansas: 8:59 p.m.
- Kentucky: 10 p.m.
- Louisiana: 9 p.m.
- Maine: 9:50 p.m.
- Maryland: 9:59 p.m.
- Massachusetts: 9:50 p.m.
- Michigan: 9:45 p.m.
- Minnesota: 9:00 p.m.
- Mississippi: 8:54 p.m.
- Missouri: 8:59 p.m.
- Montana: 8:00 p.m.
- Nebraska: 9:00 p.m.
- New Hampshire: 9:50 p.m.
- New Jersey: 9:59 p.m.
- New Mexico: 8 p.m.
- New York: 10 p.m.
- North Carolina: 9:59 p.m.
- North Dakota: 8:58 p.m.
- Ohio: 10 p.m.
- Oklahoma: 8:59 p.m.
- Oregon: 7 p.m.
- Pennsylvania: 9:59 p.m.
- Puerto Rico: 10:59 p.m.
- Rhode Island: 9:50 p.m.
- South Carolina: 9:59 p.m.
- South Dakota: 9 p.m.
- Tennessee: 9 p.m.
- Texas: 9 p.m.
- US Virgin Islands: 10 p.m.
- Vermont: 9:50 p.m.
- Virginia: 10 p.m.
- Washington: 6:45 p.m.
- West Virginia: 9:59 p.m.
- Wisconsin: 9 p.m.
- Wyoming: 7:59 p.m.
Location, location, location:These are the states with the most Powerball jackpot winners
How can I watch Powerball drawing live?
The Powerball drawing is broadcast live on the lottery website at 10:59 p.m. ET on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday. You can watch the drawing by clicking here.
The drawing may be broadcast on a local television station in your market as well. For example, ABC in New York carries the drawing live.
How do I play Powerball?
The cost is $2 per ticket, but you can add the Power Play for $1, which will increase the amount of your potential prize up to five times the original prize (except for the jackpot and Match 5). There is also a 10x Power Play possibility when the jackpot is less than $150 million.
Each player selects five numbers from 1 to 69 for the white balls and one number from 1 to 26 for the red Powerball. However, you can also have the lottery machine generate a quick pick ticket with random numbers for you.
Prizes vary from $4 for the matching the Powerball to $1 million for matching all five white balls (except in California) to the jackpot for matching all six balls. You cancheck all the prize payouts on the Powerball website here.
Beware:No, a lottery jackpot winner isn't giving you money. How to spot a scammer
What to do if you win the Powerball?
First, celebrate! Second, call a trusted lawyer for legal and financial advice.
Drew Svitko, Powerball Product Group Chair and Pennsylvania Lottery Executive Director, also says, "If you win the jackpot, sign your ticket, put it somewhere very safe, and reach out to your local lottery. Your lottery is always your best resource for information on how to claim a prize.”
What are my odds of winning?
Playing the Powerball can be exciting, but just don't go spending those millions before you win. The odds of winning the jackpot are 292,201,338-to-1. The odds to match all five white balls are 11,688,053-to-1.
Unlucky?Here are 13 crazy things more likely to happen than winning the lottery
Top 10largest Powerball jackpots
Here are the Top 10 jackpots sincethe Powerball lottery began in 1992:
- $2.04 billion,Nov. 7, 2022: Won in California
- $1.73 billion,Oct. 11, 2023: Won in California
- $1.586 billion, Jan. 13, 2016: Three winners in California, Florida, Tennessee
- $1.326 billion, April 6, 2024: Won in Oregon
- $1.08 billion,July 19, 2023: Won in California
- $768.4 million,March 27, 2019: Won in Wisconsin
- $758.7 million,Aug. 23, 2017:Won in Massachusetts
- $754.6 million,Feb. 6, 2023: Won in Washington
- $731.1 million,Jan. 20, 2021: Won in Maryland
- $699.8 million,Oct. 4, 2021: Won in California
What was largest U.S. lottery jackpot ever?
Here's a look at the top jackpots won in the United States, between the Powerball and the Mega Millions lotteries:
- $2.04 billion, Powerball, Nov. 7, 2022: California
- $1.765 billion, Powerball,Oct. 11, 2023: Won in California
- $1.602 billion,Mega Millions, Aug. 8, 2023: Won in Florida
- $1.586 billion, Powerball, Jan. 13, 2016: Three winners in California, Florida, Tennessee
- $1.537 billion, Mega Millions,Oct. 23, 2018: Won in South Carolina
- $1.348 billion,Mega Millions, Jan. 13, 2022: Won in Maine
- $1.337 billion, Mega Millions,July 29, 2022: Illinois
- $1.326 billion, Powerball, April 6, 2024: Won in Oregon
- $1.08 billion, Powerball, July 19, 2023: Won in California
- $1.05 billion, Mega Millions,Jan. 22, 2021: Won in Michigan
- $768.4 million, Powerball,March 27, 2019: Won in Wisconsin
- $758.7 million,Powerball, Aug. 23, 2017:Won in Massachusetts
- $754.6 million, Powerball:Feb. 6, 2023: Won in Washington
- $731.1 million,, Powerball,Jan. 20, 2021: Won in Maryland
- $699.8 million, Powerball,Oct. 4, 2021: Won in California
- $687.8 million, Powerball, Oct. 27, 2018: Two winners in Iowa, New York
- $656 million, Mega Millions, March 30, 2012: Three winners in Illinois, Kansas, Maryland
- $648 million, Mega Millions, Dec. 17, 2013: Two winners in California, Georgia
- $632.6 million, Powerball, Jan. 5, 2022:Two winner in California, Wisconsin
- $590.5 million, Powerball, May 18, 2013: Won in Florida
