Quick Answer
The Powerball drawing is broadcast live on television in most areas where Powerball tickets are sold. The drawing takes place at 10:59 p.m. ET on Wednesday and Saturday nights and can be viewed on local television stations in participating states.
What is the Powerball?
The Powerball is a multi-state lottery game operated by the Multi-State Lottery Association. It is played in 45 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The Powerball has become one of the most popular lottery games in the United States due to its large jackpots that can grow into the hundreds of millions of dollars.
How Does the Powerball Work?
To play Powerball, players select five white ball numbers from 1 to 69 and one red Powerball number from 1 to 26. Tickets cost $2 per play. Players can multiply non-jackpot prizes by selecting the Power Play option for an additional $1 per play. Prizes start at $4 for matching just the Powerball number up to the jackpot for matching all five white balls and the Powerball. The odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 292 million.
When is the Powerball Drawing?
The Powerball drawing takes place every Wednesday and Saturday night at 10:59 p.m. ET. It is held at the Florida Lottery’s draw studio in Tallahassee, Florida. Prior to each drawing, five white balls are drawn from one drum containing 69 balls. Then one red Powerball is drawn from a second drum containing 26 balls.
Is the Powerball Drawing on TV?
Yes, the Powerball drawing is broadcast live on television stations in almost all jurisdictions where Powerball is played. Since it is played coast-to-coast, most local stations will air the drawing during their late evening newscasts on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
Where to Watch the Powerball Drawing
The Powerball drawing can be viewed on the following stations:
- Arizona – KTVK 3TV Phoenix
- Arkansas – KATV Channel 7 Little Rock
- California – KTLA 5 Los Angeles
- Colorado – KCNC CBS 4 Denver
- Connecticut – WFSB 3 Hartford
- Delaware – WBOC 16 Salisbury
- District of Columbia – WJLA 7 Washington DC
- Florida – WFTV 9 Orlando
- Georgia – WSB TV 2 Atlanta
- Idaho – KIVI 6 Boise
- Illinois – WGN 9 Chicago
- Indiana – WTHR 13 Indianapolis
- Iowa – KCCI 8 Des Moines
- Kansas – KWCH 12 Wichita
- Kentucky – WYMT Mountain News Hazard
- Louisiana – WVUE FOX 8 New Orleans
- Maine – WMTW News 8 Portland
- Maryland – WJZ 13 Baltimore
- Massachusetts – WBZ 4 Boston
- Michigan – WDIV NBC 4 Detroit
- Minnesota – KSTP 5 Saint Paul
- Mississippi – WLBT 3 Jackson
- Missouri – KMBC 9 Kansas City
- Montana – KTVQ 2 Billings
- Nebraska – KETV 7 Omaha
- New Hampshire – WMUR 9 Manchester
- New Jersey – WABC 7 New York
- New Mexico – KRQE 13 Albuquerque
- New York – WABC 7 New York
- North Carolina – WSOC 9 Charlotte
- North Dakota – KVLY 11 Fargo
- Ohio – WEWS 5 Cleveland
- Oklahoma – KFOR 4 Oklahoma City
- Oregon – KATU 2 Portland
- Pennsylvania – WPXI 11 Pittsburgh
- Puerto Rico – WAPA America San Juan
- Rhode Island – WPRI 12 Providence
- South Carolina – WSPA 7 Spartanburg
- South Dakota – KELOLAND TV Sioux Falls
- Tennessee – WREG News Channel 3 Memphis
- Texas – KENS 5 San Antonio
- Vermont – WCAX 3 Burlington
- Virgin Islands – VIFB St. Thomas
- Virginia – WTVR CBS 6 Richmond
- Washington – KING 5 Seattle
- West Virginia – WSAZ 3 Huntington
- Wisconsin – WDJT CBS 58 Milwaukee
- Wyoming – KCWY News 13 Casper
In addition to local stations, the Powerball drawing can also be viewed on national channels such as ESPN, FOX Business, and CNN. Most stations air the drawing just before the 11 o’clock news.
Can I Watch the Drawing Online?
For those without access to the Powerball drawing on TV, the drawing can be streamed live online at Powerball.com. The Powerball website provides a video player that airs the drawing as it happens on Wednesday and Saturday nights. The drawing can be viewed on desktop, mobile devices and apps.
Replays of the most recent Powerball drawing are also typically available on YouTube the day after it occurs.
Some state lottery websites, such as California Lottery, also provide live streams or replays of the Powerball drawing.
Key Facts About the Powerball Drawing Broadcast
- Airs at 10:59 p.m. ET on Wednesdays and Saturdays
- Held at the Florida Lottery draw studio in Tallahassee, FL
- Live Powerball drawings began in 1994
- Drawings supervised by both the Multi-State Lottery Association and an accounting firm
- The balls are weighed and certified prior to each drawing
- There are separate machines for the white balls and the Powerball
- Powerball numbers are drawn in this order: 5 white balls first, then the red Powerball
- Drawings last approximately one minute
- Broadcast on both local and national television stations
- Live online video stream available at Powerball.com
Why the Powerball Drawing Airs on Live TV
The Multi-State Lottery Association believes it is important for drawings like Powerball to be completely transparent to help maintain integrity and public trust in the game. By airing the Powerball drawing live on television, viewers at home can see firsthand how winning numbers are selected. They can verify that the drawing is fair and not rigged or pre-determined.
Having reputable television stations broadcast the drawing live widely disseminates the winning numbers as soon as they are drawn. This helps get the numbers out quickly so players can see if they have the winning ticket. Televised drawings also tend to generate excitement and interest in the game.
The live broadcasts create more witnesses of the drawing outcome across the country. In the unlikely event any issues arise, there are millions of viewers who can attest to what transpired during the drawing.
Other Lotteries on TV
Similar to Powerball, other major national and state lottery drawings can be found on television in the jurisdictions where the games are played. These include:
- Mega Millions
- Lotto America
- Cash4Life
- Florida Lotto
- California SuperLotto Plus
- Texas Lottery drawings
- New York Lotto
- Cash 5
- Pick 3 and Pick 4 games
Check your local listings for the station and time where these drawings are aired in your area. The drawings are often shown during primetime hours to reach a large audience.
Can Draw Numbers be Rigged?
While televised lottery drawings are not immune to tampering, many security protocols are in place to protect the integrity of games like Powerball. Some measures include:
- Pre-draw equipment testing by independent auditors
- Cameras record drawing room activities prior to the drawing
- Lottery officials and draw personnel are present
- Oversight by the Multi-State Lottery Association
- Machines are sealed before and after use
- Balls are weighed and certified balanced
- Draw machines are enclosed in locked glass chambers
These precautions make it highly unlikely for a televised Powerball drawing to be illegally rigged or altered. With millions watching live as the winning numbers are selected, any manipulation would be easily detected and subject to investigation.
Notable Powerball Drawing Moments
While Powerball drawings typically proceed without incident, there have been some notable moments during the live drawings over the years:
Hand-Drawn Winning Numbers
On March 30, 2005, a power outage struck while the Powerball drawing was airing live on WGN-TV in Chicago. As machines could not be used, then-host Laura Ball had to draw numbers by hand to complete the drawing.
Double Machine Malfunction
On April 8, 2020, both the white ball machine and Powerball machine malfunctioned, resulting in a rare delay to complete the drawing. Under supervision, new drawing machines were brought in and the numbers were later redrawn successfully.
Winning Jackpot Tickets
When massive jackpots have been on the line, televised Powerball drawings have been known to attract huge viewing audiences. An estimated $1.6 billion jackpot drawing on January 13, 2016 had millions eager to learn the winning numbers.
Final Thoughts
Knowing where and how to tune into the Powerball drawing on TV or online allows players to follow along live as winning numbers are announced. While no method is 100% tamper-proof, Powerball takes care to securely draw numbers under full supervision and transparency. This ensures an accurate, fair drawing outcome that lottery players can trust. With jackpots starting at $40 million and the potential to climb dramatically higher, be sure to check your tickets against the Powerball numbers shown on TV to see if you’ve become the game’s newest multimillionaire!
