Powerball is one of the most popular and widely played lottery games in the United States. The multi-state lottery game is coordinated by the Multi-State Lottery Association and is currently offered in 45 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Powerball draws occur twice a week, on Wednesdays and Saturdays, and jackpots start at $40 million. However, despite Powerball’s nationwide popularity, there are 5 states that currently do not participate in the game.
The 5 States Without Powerball
The 5 states that do not offer the Powerball lottery are:
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Hawaii
- Nevada
- Utah
These 5 states opt not to participate in the Multi-State Lottery Association and therefore do not sell Powerball tickets or award Powerball prizes to players within their borders.
Why These States Don’t Participate
There are a few key reasons why the above 5 states do not currently offer Powerball to their residents:
State Lottery Laws
Some states simply prohibit lotteries altogether under their state laws. For example, Utah has a complete ban on all lotteries, which is why Powerball is not offered there. Hawaii also expressly prohibits lotteries in its state constitution.
Competition with Existing Lotteries
A few of the non-participating Powerball states already have successful lottery programs in place. For instance, Nevada has the MegaBucks progressive jackpot game, while Alabama has several lucrative in-state lottery games. These states likely prefer to promote their own lottery offerings rather than compete against Powerball.
Social/Political Opposition
There are pockets of social and political opposition to lotteries in some of the 5 non-participating states. Certain lawmakers and interest groups believe state-run lotteries contradict their conservative values. There are also long-running concerns over lotteries disproportionately affecting low-income players. These factors make introducing Powerball challenging in some states.
Powerball Participation By State
While Powerball is unavailable in the 5 states listed above, it continues to be popular and widely played across most of the United States. Here is a breakdown of Powerball participation by state:
| Participating States | Non-Participating States |
|---|---|
|
|
As shown, the vast majority of states actively participate in Powerball drawings and sales. The 5 holdouts have their own reasons for not yet joining the popular multi-state lottery. However, lottery policies can always change and it’s possible these states may launch Powerball in the future if there is enough interest or political will.
The History of Powerball
To understand why Powerball is unavailable in certain states, it helps to look at the game’s origins and expansion history over the years:
1988: The Beginning
The Powerball game traces its roots to 1988, when the Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL) was formed. Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Oregon, Rhode Island, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia were the founding members of MUSL.
1992: Powerball Launch
Powerball held its first drawing on April 22, 1992. The original participating lotteries were Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Oregon, Rhode Island, West Virginia and the District of Columbia.
Early 1990s: Steady Expansion
In the early 1990s, Powerball saw steady expansion as more U.S. lotteries joined MUSL and added the game. By the end of the decade, a total of 23 lotteries were offering Powerball to players.
Early 2000s: Rapid Growth
As lottery jackpots kept increasing, Powerball grew rapidly in popularity and availability in the early 2000s. Between 2000 and 2004, 14 additional U.S. lotteries introduced Powerball. Sales and jackpots reached new highs during this period.
2006-2015: Recent Additions
The most recent states to start participating in Powerball drawings were South Dakota in 2006, North Dakota in 2010, and the U.S. Virgin Islands in 2015. There have been no new Powerball states added since 2015.
Through gradual expansion over 25+ years, the Powerball game has grown to be available in 45 U.S. jurisdictions, as well as Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The 5 holdouts have had years to join yet still choose not to participate due to lottery laws, existing competition, or social/moral opposition.
Powerball in Nearby States
Residents of the 5 Powerball-less states do still have options for playing the game, despite it not being offered within their borders. Powerball tickets can be purchased in bordering states, allowing players to take part while traveling or via various courier services.
Alabama
While Alabama does not sell Powerball tickets, residents can cross state lines into Florida, Georgia, Mississippi or Tennessee to purchase tickets where the lottery is available.
Alaska
Alaskans have the most limited options for accessing Powerball, due to the state’s geographical isolation from the Lower 48. Traveling to Canada or booking ticket courier services are the only ways for Alaska residents to play Powerball.
Hawaii
Hawaii’s statewide ban on lotteries prevents Powerball sales within its islands. However, Hawaiian residents do find ways to play Powerball by purchasing tickets when traveling or using ticket delivery services.
Nevada
Nevadans can cross state lines to buy Powerball tickets in bordering California, Arizona, Utah, Idaho or Oregon where Powerball is available.
Utah
While Utah laws prohibit Powerball in the state, residents often travel to nearby Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado or Nevada to purchase tickets for major jackpot drawings.
So while the 5 non-participating states do not allow official domestic Powerball sales, their residents can generally find ways to get tickets from nearby states or through secondary ticket sources.
Big Powerball Jackpots
Powerball is best known for its ability to generate huge jackpot prizes that capture national attention. The game’s top 10 biggest jackpots are:
| Rank | Jackpot Amount | Winning Draw Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $1.586 Billion | January 13, 2016 |
| 2 | $768.4 Million | March 27, 2019 |
| 3 | $758.7 Million | August 23, 2017 |
| 4 | $731.1 Million | January 20, 2021 |
| 5 | $699.8 Million | October 4, 2021 |
| 6 | $687.8 Million | October 27, 2018 |
| 7 | $632.6 Million | January 5, 2022 |
| 8 | $590.5 Million | May 18, 2013 |
| 9 | $587.5 Million | November 28, 2012 |
| 10 | $564.1 Million | February 11, 2015 |
These enormous jackpots garner national media coverage and intense interest from players across participating states. Even residents of non-participating states routinely cross state lines or find ticket sources when the jackpot reaches sky-high levels.
Winners in Nearby States
While players in the 5 Powerball-less states have to travel or use ticket services to participate, there have been major jackpot winners from these states over the years. Some examples:
- A Hawaii resident won a $150.4 million Powerball prize from buying tickets in Nevada in 2004.
- A group of Alaska workers won a $28 million jackpot in 2000, using tickets purchased in Washington state.
- A couple from Utah claimed a $1 million Powerball prize in 2005 after commuting to buy tickets in Wyoming.
- A man from Alabama won $1 million playing Powerball in Tennessee in 2009.
- A Nevada resident traveled to Arizona to buy the $1 million winning Powerball ticket in 2013.
These past big winners show that crossing state borders or using ticket courier services can pay off for players in non-participating states when Powerball jackpots grow.
The Future of Powerball
In summary, Powerball is not currently available in Alabama, Alaska, Hawaii, Nevada or Utah due to a combination of state lottery laws, competition from existing lotteries, and/or moral opposition. Despite not selling official tickets locally, residents in these 5 states can generally find ways to participate by using nearby states. And there’s always the possibility that Powerball may expand into new U.S. jurisdictions in the future.
Powerball continues to be America’s most widely played lottery jackpot game, with residents from the 45 participating states and territories eagerly playing each draw for a chance at life-changing riches. Even players in the 5 holdout states sometimes go to great lengths to get in on the action for a shot at a historic Powerball jackpot.
