The Powerball lottery is one of the most widely known and played multi-state lottery games in the United States. Since its inception in 1992, it has awarded jackpots as high as $1.586 billion to lucky ticket holders. Powerball draws occur twice weekly, on Wednesdays and Saturdays, and tickets can be purchased in 45 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
The Origins of Powerball
Powerball arose from an effort to revitalize flagging lottery sales across the country. In the late 1980s, many states were experiencing stagnant or declining revenue from their individual lotteries. A new multi-state game was seen as a way to inject excitement and drive greater participation. The Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL), a nonprofit organization formed by US lotteries, began exploring options for such a game.
MUSL reviewed the performance of lottery games in other countries and worked with mathematician Greg Koepp to design a game that would offer huge jackpots while maintaining favorable odds. They settled on a matrix-style game featuring two drums – one with white balls numbered 1-59, and the other with red “powerballs” numbered 1-39. Players would choose five numbers from the white drum and one from the red to create a single game entry.
Powerball launched in April 1992 with 15 participating state lotteries. The original format drawn from two drums was retained, but the matrix was 5/45 + 1/45. The starting jackpot was $2 million.
Powerball’s Growth and Evolution
In the early years, Powerball drawings were held in studios at local television stations. This changed in 2008 when the drawings moved to the Florida Lottery’s studios in Tallahassee. The current host is Laura Johnson, with Randy Toth serving as the primary draw official.
As the game grew, changes were implemented to continue driving higher jackpots. In 1997, the 5/45 + 1/45 matrix increased to 5/49 + 1/42. More significant expansions took place in 2009 and 2012:
- 2009 – 5/59 + 1/39 matrix introduced
- 2012
- 5/59 + 1/35 matrix
- PowerPlay multiplier option added
- $2 ticket price introduced
These changes made it faster for jackpots to reach staggering totals. But they also altered the probabilities of winning. The overall odds of winning any prize worsened from 1 in 36.6 to 1 in 24.9. The jackpot odds declined more sharply, from 1 in 80 million to 1 in 292.2 million.
Notable Powerball Jackpots
Powerball has minted millionaires on a weekly basis, but a handful of historic jackpots have truly captured public imagination:
| Date | Jackpot | Winning Ticket |
|---|---|---|
| May 18, 2013 | $590.5 million | Florida |
| January 13, 2016 | $1.586 billion* | California, Florida, Tennessee |
| August 23, 2017 | $758.7 million | Massachusetts |
*Largest single-ticket jackpot in history
The billion dollar jackpot in 2016 triggered an unprecedented buying frenzy. Americans spent approximately $1.5 billion on Powerball tickets during the roll leading up to the draw. The prize was split between three ticketholders who all selected the winning numbers – 4, 8, 19, 27, 34 and Powerball 10.
How to Play Powerball
Playing Powerball simply involves selecting five numbers from 1 to 69, and one Powerball number from 1 to 26. An easy “Quick Pick” option is available that provides randomly generated numbers for those not wishing to choose their own. Tickets cost $2 per play.
For an additional $1 per play, the Power Play add-on can multiply non-jackpot prizes by up to 10 times using a random multiplier drawn before the main numbers. Matching five numbers plus the Powerball wins $1 million with the Power Play. The 10X option was added in 2018 for drawings with jackpots under $150 million.
Drawings are held every Wednesday and Saturday at 10:59 p.m. EST. Tickets can be purchased up until 9:59 p.m. EST on draw days. To win the jackpot, a player must match all five white balls in any order, as well as the red Powerball. The overall odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 292,201,338.
Where Powerball Revenue Goes
Powerball aims to return about 50% of sales to players in the form of prizes. Lower-tier prizes are paid out directly by participating lotteries. Jackpot prizes are paid out in 30 annual installments or as a one-time cash value option.
Remaining revenue goes towards retailer commissions, operating expenses, and most importantly, contributing funds for each state to use at its discretion. Lottery profits generally go to supporting causes like education, senior citizens, veterans, conservation, and more. Since inception, Powerball has generated over $25 billion for such good causes.
Controversies and Criticisms
Like any lottery, Powerball has faced its share of controversies and criticisms over the years. Some of the main issues have included:
- Perceptions that lotteries are an unfair “tax on the poor” since lower income groups spend a greater portion of their earnings on lottery tickets.
- Debate over whether Powerball truly benefits local communities, education, and senior welfare or simply displaces existing funding.
- Criticisms over aggressive advertising and promotion potentially targeting problem gamblers.
- Occasional retailer fraud in relation to winning or claimed tickets.
Proponents argue lotteries are simply a form of entertainment that people have the right to choose, with overwhelmingly positive contributions to state budgets. There are also numerous examples of Powerball winnings enabling life-changing charitable donations.
The Future of Powerball
Powerball shows no signs of slowing down. As of October 2022, there are 47 participating lotteries with more expected to join over time. With strong interest from players and billions in annual sales, Powerball appears poised to keep offering American dream-like jackpots for decades to come.
While winning Powerball’s top prize may seem like a long shot, when jackpots eclipse the $500 million mark lottery fever takes hold. Players continue lining up with hopes of joining the game’s pantheon of lucky millionaires and billionaires.
