Powerball is one of the most popular lottery games in the United States. Millions of people play Powerball every week with the hopes of winning big. But how many numbers do you need to match to win a prize in Powerball? Here we’ll break down the Powerball prize structure and odds to show how many numbers you need to win something.
Powerball Basics
In Powerball, players select five main numbers from 1 to 69, and one Powerball number from 1 to 26. To play, you’ll select five numbers on your playslip or Powerball playslip, or ask for a Quick Pick and let the terminal randomly pick numbers for you. It costs $2 per play.
During the Powerball drawings, held every Wednesday and Saturday night at 10:59 p.m. ET, five white balls are drawn from a set of 69 white balls, and one red Powerball is drawn from a set of 26 red Powerballs. The Powerball winning numbers appear in the following order: the first five numbers are the white ball numbers, and the last number is the red Powerball.
How to Win Powerball Prizes
There are nine ways you can win a prize in Powerball:
- Match the red Powerball only: $4 prize
- Match just 1 white ball number: $4 prize
- Match 2 white ball numbers: $7 prize
- Match 3 white ball numbers: $7 prize
- Match 4 white ball numbers: $100 prize
- Match 4 white ball numbers + the red Powerball: $50,000 prize
- Match all 5 white ball numbers: $1 million prize
- Match all 5 white ball numbers + the red Powerball: Grand prize jackpot
- Use the Power Play to multiply non-jackpot prizes: Up to 10x multiplier
As you can see, matching at least one number wins a prize, while matching more numbers wins bigger prizes, culminating in the multimillion dollar grand prize jackpot for matching all 6 numbers. Let’s take a closer look at the Powerball odds and prizes.
Powerball Odds and Prizes
Here are the odds of winning a prize in Powerball, along with the prize amounts:
| Match | Odds (1 in) | Prize Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Red Powerball only | 38.32 | $4 |
| 1 white ball number | 91.98 | $4 |
| 2 white ball numbers | 701.33 | $7 |
| 3 white ball numbers | 14,494.11 | $7 |
| 4 white ball numbers | 36,525.17 | $100 |
| 4 white ball numbers + red Powerball | 913,129.18 | $50,000 |
| 5 white balls | 11,688,053.52 | $1 million |
| 5 white balls + red Powerball (Grand Prize) | 292,201,338 | Jackpot |
As you can see, matching just the red Powerball offers the best odds, at 1 in 38. But the biggest prize goes to matching all 6 numbers, which has odds of 1 in 292 million. The other prizes fall somewhere in between.
Powerball Prize Payouts
One thing that makes Powerball special is that you don’t have to match all 6 numbers to win a nice prize. Even matching just 1 number wins a $4 prize. Here are the overall odds of winning any prize in Powerball:
- Odds of winning any prize: 1 in 24.87
- Odds of winning jackpot prize: 1 in 292,201,338
The overall odds of 1 in 24.87 of winning something makes Powerball one of the best games to play if you want to win. Thousands of players win prizes in every drawing, usually ranging from $4 up to $1 million or more. Even if you don’t hit the jackpot, you still have great chances of winning something.
How Many Numbers to Win Powerball
To summarize, here is how many Powerball numbers you need to match to win a prize:
- Match just the red Powerball: Wins $4 prize
- Match 1 white ball: Wins $4 prize
- Match 2 white balls: Wins $7 prize
- Match 3 white balls: Wins $7 prize
- Match 4 white balls: Wins $100 prize
- Match 4 white balls and the Powerball: Wins $50,000 prize
- Match all 5 white balls: Wins $1 million prize
- Match all 5 white balls and the Powerball: Jackpot prize
So in summary, you have 9 ways to win a prize in Powerball, ranging from matching the Powerball only up to matching all 6 numbers. Matching at least 1 number wins $4, while matching 2, 3, or 4 numbers wins small prizes. Matching 5 numbers wins $1 million, and matching 5 + the Powerball wins the multimillion dollar jackpot.
Maximizing Your Powerball Winnings
Here are some tips to maximize your Powerball winnings:
- Buy multiple Powerball tickets to increase your odds
- Join an office pool or lottery pool to afford more tickets
- Use the Power Play multiplier to increase non-jackpot prizes 2-10 times
- Use a lottery wheeling system to cover more number combinations
- Purchase your Powerball tickets early to avoid missing deadlines
- Always check your Powerball tickets after the drawing
- Sign the back of your winning Powerball tickets right away
- Store winning tickets in a safe place until you can claim them
- Claim Powerball prizes within the required timeframe
- Consult with financial experts about lump sum vs. annuity
Keep in mind that the Powerball jackpot continues increasing until there is a grand prize winner. So the longer the jackpot rolls without a winner, the higher the jackpot grows, along with the potential rewards if you win big.
Frequently Asked Powerball Questions
How much does it cost to play Powerball?
Powerball tickets cost $2 per play. You can add the Power Play feature for an extra $1 per play to increase non-jackpot prizes.
What days are the Powerball drawings?
Powerball drawings are held every Wednesday and Saturday night at 10:59 p.m. ET.
What are the largest Powerball jackpots ever?
The record Powerball jackpot is $1.586 billion shared by 3 tickets on January 13, 2016. The second largest jackpot was $768.4 million won in March 2019.
Can you buy Powerball tickets online?
Yes, Powerball tickets can be purchased online in select states using lottery sites and apps. You can also use lottery courier services.
How long do you have to claim Powerball prizes?
Powerball prizes expire after a set timeframe, ranging from 90 days to 1 year in most states. Be sure to check with your state’s lottery commission.
What are the Powerball taxes like?
Powerball winnings are subject to both federal and state taxes. The top federal tax rate is 37% for jackpots, while state taxes vary from 0-8% or more. Powerball taxes are automatically withheld from jackpots over $5,000.
Conclusion
In the popular Powerball game, you can win a prize by matching as few as 1 number. Small prizes start at $4 for matching the Powerball only or 1 white ball number. Matching 2 white balls wins $7, while hitting 3 numbers wins $7. Matching 4 numbers wins $100, or $50,000 if you also match the Powerball. Hitting the 5 main numbers wins $1 million, and matching all 5 plus the Powerball wins the multimillion dollar jackpot.
While the jackpot odds are an astronomical 1 in 292 million, the overall odds of winning any prize are a more reasonable 1 in 24.87. Thousands of players win prizes in every Powerball drawing. So while taking home the jackpot is a long shot, you still have excellent chances of winning a nice prize, whether $4, $100, or possibly even $1 million.
