What makes the US Powerball the biggest lottery in the world? Its prizes, of course. In fact, it holds the record for the highest lottery jackpot with its $2.04 billion prize. But don’t think that the excitement stops here!
Just take a look at the Powerball top jackpots to see the amazing amounts that the first prize has reached over the years. There are also another eight prize categories that have made millions of Powerball players very rich and we are going to tell you all about them! Every time you play Powerball, you stand to win a lot of money!
Powerball Jackpot
The US Powerball offers an enormous jackpot every single time. The starting amount is $20 million and it only goes up from here. With every draw when the jackpot is not won, the first prize gets bigger. Unlike other lotteries, the US Powerball does not have a jackpot cap, so there is no limit to how big the first prize can get. This is how it managed to reach the mouth-watering amounts it is famous for. All you have to do to win it is to play the game and match the 5 main numbers and the Powerball!
Powerball Secondary Prizes
There are nine prize categories in total in the US Powerball, so even if you don’t match all the 5 main numbers and Powerball, there are still a lot of other prizes you can scoop in the game. In the table below, you can see how many of the winning numbers you need to match to win each prize category and how much you stand to win. These are the Powerball secondary prizes:
| Prize Divisions | Match | Prize | Prize with Power Play |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st prize | 5 + PB | Jackpot | Jackpot |
| 2nd prize | 5 | $1 million | $2 million |
| 3rd prize | 4 + PB | $50,000 | $100,000 – $500,000 |
| 4th prize | 4 | $100 | $200 – $1000 |
| 5th prize | 3+PB | $100 | $200 – $1000 |
| 6th prize | 3 | $7 | $14 – $70 |
| 7th prize | 2+PB | $7 | $14 – $70 |
| 8th prize | 1+PB | $4 | $8 – $40 |
| 9th prize | 0+PB | $4 | $8 – $40 |
Larger Prizes with Power Play
Powerball’s huge prizes can get even bigger if you add the Power Play multiplier to your ticket. For an additional $1.00 fee per ticket, you can double the $1 million second prize and increase the other secondary prizes in the game 2, 3, 4, or 5 times. The multiplier is drawn separately after the main numbers and Powerball are chosen and it increases the secondary prizes every single time. When the jackpot is lower than $150 million, a 10x Power Play multiplier is added into the mix to make the excitement even bigger!
Powerball Prizes – The Winning Odds
Every time you play, you have one chance in 292,201,338 to win the big jackpot. While these odds are quite difficult to beat, the first prize in the US Powerball is certainly worth taking a chance. For the second prize, you have a 1 in 111,668,053 chance of winning and becoming a millionaire. The odds of winning get better for the rest of the Powerball prizes. In the table below, you can see the full list of winning odds for the Powerball prizes.
| Prize Divisions | Match | Prize | Winning Odds |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st prize | 5 + PB | Jackpot | 1 in 292,201,338 |
| 2nd prize | 5 | $1 million | 1 in 111,688,053 |
| 3rd prize | 4 + PB | $50,000 | 1 in 913,129 |
| 4th prize | 4 | $100 | 1 in 36,525 |
| 5th prize | 3+PB | $100 | 1 in 14,494 |
| 6th prize | 3 | $7 | 1 in 579 |
| 7th prize | 2+PB | $7 | 1 in 701 |
| 8th prize | 1+PB | $4 | 1 in 92 |
| 9th prize | 0+PB | $4 | 1 in 38 |
Powerball Prizes FAQ
People have a lot of questions about the prizes in the Powerball lottery, so we’ve gathered the most frequent ones and answered them. Here is everything you need to know:
- How do you win the Powerball jackpot?
To win the first prize in the Powerball lottery, you have to guess all the 5 main numbers and the Powerball.
- How much is the Powerball jackpot worth?
The amount of the Powerball jackpot is different for every single draw. The minimum amount is $40 million and with every rollover, the first prize gets bigger and bigger. There is no limit to how much it can grow.
- Do you win anything with only the Powerball?
Yes, if you only match the Powerball number, then you win the 9th prize category, which is worth $4.00.
- How many numbers do you need to win something in the Powerball?
To win a prize in the US Powerball, you have to match at least the Powerball number. This will earn you the last prize category worth $4.00. If you match one of the main numbers and the Powerball, then you win the 8th prize category, also worth $4.00.
- Do you win anything if you guess 2 numbers in the Powerball?
No, you do not. If you only match 2 of the 5 main numbers in the Powerball lottery, then you will not win any prize. If you match 2 main numbers and the Powerball number, then you win the 7th prize worth $7.00.
- How long do you have to collect the second prize in the Powerball?
From the draw date, you have 187 days to collect all secondary prizes in the US Powerball. The period is shorter than that for the first prize and it may vary from one US state to another. If you win a Powerball prize, you have to contact the lottery operator to find out more about what you have to do.
- Why is the Powerball second prize only $2 million with Power Play if the Power Play number is 3?
The second prize in the US Powerball is worth $1 million and it can be doubled by the Power Play multiplier. Regardless of the drawn Power Play number, the second prize can only get to $2 million.
Don’t forget! For winning any of the astonishing Powerball prizes all you need to do is buy lottery tickets for the game. If you live outside the US, you can purchase them online on theLotter. The more tickets you have the more chances you get at winning. Follow the results and claim your prize!