Do you know how to play Powerball right? Do you know how many lottery numbers you must pick to win a Powerball prize?
If not, no worries! Today, we will break down everything you need to know to play this lottery like a pro and increase your chances of winning.
So, let’s get started…
How Many Numbers Are in the Powerball Lottery?
The Powerball Lottery uses a two-number system. First, you pick five numbers from 1 to 69—the white numbers. Then, you select one additional number from 1 to 26, called the Powerball or the Red Ball. If you match all six numbers, you win the Powerball jackpot.
How Many Numbers Do You Need to Match to Win Powerball?
You only need to match one lottery number, the Powerball, to win a prize. Yep, it’s that simple.
Well, it’s not a big prize – only $4 – but it’s enough to cover the cost of your ticket, and you even double your money.
But the prize that everyone dreams about is the Powerball jackpot. The jackpot starts at $20 million and grows with each drawing until someone wins. As mentioned, you must match all five main lottery numbers plus the Powerball to win the jackpot.
And we won’t lie – it’s not easy to win the jackpot. The odds of matching all six numbers are 1 in 292 million. Yes, we know that’s pretty slim, but many players have done it over the years.
Just this year, 2024, there have been nine jackpots won so far. The most recent one was claimed on December 7, when a lucky player in New York matched all six winning numbers and took home a jackpot of $256 million. The jackpot had a cash value of $123.5 million.
So, is it impossible to win Powerball? Not at all!
And remember, the jackpot isn’t the only prize Powerball has to offer. Besides the big one, there are eight secondary prizes with much better odds, ranging from $7 to $1 million.
Powerball Prizes and Odds
Next, we’ll break down all the Powerball prizes, how many lottery numbers you need to match to win them, and your odds of matching each.
| Match | Prize | Odds |
|---|---|---|
| Five numbers + The Powerball | Jackpot | 1 in 292,201,338.00 |
| Five numbers | $1,000,000 | 1 in 11,688,053.52 |
| Four numbers + The Powerball | $50,000 | 1 in 913,129.18 |
| Four numbers | $100 | 1 in 36,525.17 |
| Three numbers + The Powerball | $100 | 1 in 14,494.11 |
| Three numbers | $7 | 1 in 579.76 |
| Two numbers + The Powerball | $7 | 1 in 701.33 |
| One number + The Powerball | $4 | 1 in 91.98 |
| The Powerball | $4 | 1 in 38.32 |
What Are the Most Common 2024 Powerball Numbers?
Not sure what numbers to pick for the Powerball Lottery? Try the luckiest ones that have come up the most in past drawings.
You’ve probably heard of the Hot and Cold Numbers method. It’s one of the most popular and effective ways to pick lottery numbers. The idea is simple: you pick numbers based on how often they appear in past drawings. Hot numbers show up the most, and Cold numbers come up the least.
For 2024, these are the most common Powerball numbers so far:
- 44 drawn 13 times
- 69 drawn 13 times
- 36 drawn 12 times
Want to dive deeper into Powerball’s hot and cold numbers? Then download the Lottonia App!
With Lottonia, you’ll get personalized Powerball number suggestions based on proven methods like Hot and Cold Number Analysis, Delta System, Odds and Evens Analysis, and Sum Analysis. You can even set the time frame you want to analyze – look at the last three months, this year, or all the way back to the beginning of Powerball.
How Much Does a Powerball Ticket Cost?
Now you know how much you can win with the Powerball Lottery and how many numbers you need to play. But how much does a Powerball ticket cost?
Each Powerball ticket costs $2. This price is the same whether you choose your own numbers or use the Quick Pick option.
However, this may not be the final price of your ticket. You can select an optional add-on called Power Play for an additional $1, bringing the total cost to $3 per play.
But What Does Power Play Do? Is It Worth the Extra Dollar?
Power Play is a multiplier option that can increase the value of your non-jackpot winnings by 2, 3, 4, 5, or even 10 times.
For example, let’s say you match all five main numbers but not the Powerball and win the second lottery prize of $1 million. If you played Power Play, your prize could jump to $2 million or even $5 million, depending on the multiplier drawn.
And if the jackpot is less than $150 million, your prize could be as much as $10 million!
But remember that Power Play only applies to the secondary prizes – not the jackpot. Otherwise, who knows how high the jackpot could go?
| Match | Regular Prize | 2x | 3x | 4x | 5x | 10x |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 numbers + Powerball | Jackpot | Jackpot | Jackpot | Jackpot | Jackpot | Jackpot |
| 5 numers | $1 million | $2 million | $2 million | $2 million | $2 million | $2 million |
| 4 numbers + Powerball | $50.000 | $100.00 | $150.000 | $200.000 | $250.000 | $500.000 |
| 4 numbers | $100 | $200 | $300 | $400 | $500 | $1000 |
| 3 numbers + Powerball | $100 | $200 | $300 | $400 | $500 | $1000 |
| 3 numbers | $7 | $14 | $21 | $28 | $35 | $70 |
| 2 numbers + Powerball | $7 | $14 | $21 | $28 | $35 | $70 |
| 1 number + Powerball | $4 | $8 | $12 | $16 | $20 | $40 |
| Powerball | $4 | $8 | $12 | $16 | $20 | $40 |
Where and When Can You Play Powerball?
Powerball is available in 45 states, including Washington D.C., Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Here’s a complete list of participating states:
- Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, and Montana.
- Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming, and Puerto Rico.
Powerball drawings are held every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday at 10:59 PM ET.
The deadline to buy tickets varies by state, but most stop selling about an hour before the drawing. That means you usually have until 9:59 PM ET to pick your lucky lottery numbers and get your Powerball ticket. Be sure to check the cut-off time in your state to avoid missing out!
Summing up…
To play the Powerball Lottery, you have to pick five numbers from 1 to 69 for the white balls and one number from 1 to 26 for the Powerball. If you match all six numbers, you win the jackpot!
Tickets cost $2, plus an optional $1 for the Power Play. The drawings are held every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday at 10:59 PM ET.
And if you want to keep up with Powerball results without watching the live drawing, get the Lottonia App!
With Lottonia, you can register your favorite lottery tickets, like Powerball and Mega Millions, and receive notifications right to your phone and email as soon as results are available.
That way, you’ll be the first to know when you match the winning numbers.
Download Lottonia today and make sure you never miss a Powerball prize!