Powerball - Frequent Questions
1. How many states participate in Powerball?
Powerball is played in twenty-nine states, District of Columbia and Virgin Islands. www.powerball.com
2. What is the cost of a Powerball ticket?
The cost for a single play is $1. If a player chooses the Power Play option, there is an additional $1 charge per play.
3. What is Power Play? By adding the Power Play option a player can multiply the value of the player’s prize, except the Jackpot, by 2 to 5 times. Before each Powerball drawing, the Power Play wheel is spun randomly selecting a multiplier number for that draw’s prizes. Players who win a prize and who also had purchased the Power Play option will automatically have their prize multiplied by 2, 3, 4 or 5 times, winning a prize up to $1 million.
4. When are the drawings held? Drawings are at 9:59 p.m. C.S.T. every Wednesday and Saturday.
5. What are the odds of winning a prize?
The odds of winning any prize on a $1 play are 1 in 36.6. More detailed information on odds and prizes is available at: Powerball Information
6. How many ways can a player win? There are 9 different ways to win (including the jackpot)! Powerball Information
7. Can a player purchase one ticket that is good for more than one draw? Yes. A player may buy a Powerball ticket for up to 9 consecutive draws (current draw plus the next 8 draws). This is a “multiple draw ticket.” A player may also choose to purchase a subscription for Powerball. A subscription is good for 26, 52, or 104 draws. Subscription
8. Why is the Cash Option amount different than the advertised jackpot for Powerball?
A jackpot prize winner may choose to receive the prize money in annual payments over a period of thirty years, or as a single lump sum payment.
The advertised Powerball jackpot is based on 29-year future value. If the winner chooses annual payments, the jackpot is annuitized and the prize money paid out in thirty graduated payments increasing each year at a rate of 4%.
When a player chooses the Cash Option, the Lottery pays the money that would have been invested over 30 years directly to the player in one payment.
Both payment options are subject to income taxes. A player automatically receives the annuity option unless the player chooses the Cash Option within 60 days of claiming the jackpot prize.
9. What happens if I win the jackpot and pass away before I receive all the payments?
If a winning player passes away during the annuity payment period of a prize that is paid on an annuitized basis, the Multi-State Lottery Association’s game group, in its discretion, may accelerate the payment of all of the remaining proceeds to the player’s estate.
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