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With $1.8 billion on the line, you might be able to try your luck without standing in line — depending on where you live.
WASHINGTON — With the Powerball jackpot reaching one of the highest amounts ever, many individuals who rarely participate in the lottery might be tempted to spend a few dollars for a shot at a massive payout.
This Saturday’s $1.80 billion jackpot ranks as the second-largest in the U.S. lottery records, surpassed only by a $2.04 billion Powerball win in 2022.
The cash option, which most people pick, currently stands at $826.4 million.
How to play Powerball
A Powerball ticket costs $2, and players choose five numbers from a range of 1 to 69 for the white balls, plus one number between 1 and 26 for the red Powerball. Participants can either manually choose their numbers on a play slip or let the lottery terminal generate numbers randomly.
To win the jackpot, all five white balls, in any order, and the red Powerball must be matched. However, the odds of claiming this top prize are extremely slim: 1 in 292.2 million.
Your best shot at winning a prize is the 1 in 38.32 odds of matching only the Powerball number. That’ll net you $4.
Can you buy Powerball tickets online?
While Powerball tickets are sold in all but five states, buying tickets online is much more restrictive.
Whether or not you’re able to buy a Powerball ticket online depends on your location.
At present, 12 states along with the District of Columbia enable players to buy Powerball tickets online or via their lottery’s mobile application. The states include Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan, New Hampshire, North Carolina, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia.
If you don’t live in one of those states, you may not be out of luck completely.
Courier services, such as Lotto.com and Jackpocket, have also emerged recently. They offer players the convenience of ordering tickets through a mobile app or website. These services purchase the ticket from a licensed retailer on behalf of the player, upload a picture of it on the app, and securely store the physical ticket.
But location is again key, because these courier services are not available everywhere.
Jackpocket is currently available in Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, District of Columbia, Idaho, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, and West Virginia.
Lotto.com currently operates in Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Ohio and Oregon.
What time is the Powerball drawing?
The next drawing will take place on Saturday at 10:59 p.m. Eastern (9:59 p.m. Central Time, 8:59 p.m. Mountain Time, 7:59 p.m. Pacific Time)
What days are the Powerball drawing?
Back in Aug. 2021, Powerball shifted to three drawings a week in an effort to build larger prizes and boost sales. The drawings currently happen every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
How late can you buy Powerball tickets?
The cut-off times for buying Powerball tickets vary by state. Usually, it’s within one or two hours of the scheduled drawing. However, you should check with your local lottery. Tickets cost $2 per play.
What are the largest US lottery jackpots ever won?
1. $2.04 billion, Powerball, Nov. 7, 2022. The winning ticket was sold at a Los Angeles-area gas station.
2. $1.765 billion, Powerball, Oct. 11, 2023. The winning ticket was sold at a liquor store in a tiny California mountain town.
3. $1.602 billion, Mega Millions, Aug. 8, 2023. The winning ticket was sold at a supermarket in Neptune Beach, Florida.
4. $1.586 billion, Powerball, Jan. 13, 2016. The winning tickets were sold at a Los Angeles-area convenience store, a Florida supermarket and a Tennessee grocery store.
5. $1.537 billion, Mega Millions, Oct. 23, 2018. The winning ticket was sold at a South Carolina convenience store.
6. $1.348 billion, Mega Millions, Jan. 13, 2023. The winning ticket was sold at a Maine gas station.
7. $1.337 billion, Mega Millions, July 29, 2022. The winning ticket was sold at a Chicago-area gas station.
8. $1.326 billion, Powerball, April 7, 2024. The winning ticket was sold at an Oregon convenience store.
9. $1.269 billion, Mega Millions, Dec. 27, 2024. The winning ticket was sold at a gas station in Northern California.
10. $1.13 billion, Mega Millions, March 26, 2024. The winning ticket was sold at a liquor store in New Jersey
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
