How to Play
All you need in order to take part in Powerball is a computer, smartphone or tablet, although you can also play at authorised National Lottery retailers from the summer of 2026. It’s a simple format too – select a Powerball from 1 to 26 and five numbers from 1 to 69, pay for your entries and wait for the results to come in! Look through the below boxes to find out more information about what you need to do.
Start off by choosing your Powerball Number from 1 to 26 and five numbers between 1 and 69. The Powerball is selected from a different set of numbers to the main five, meaning you are able to pick the same number twice on the same line if you wish. You can use your own combination of lucky numbers, or you may prefer to use a random set of numbers known as a ‘Lucky Dip’ or ‘Quick Pick’.
Head over to our Number Generator to create a Quick Pick that you can enter straight away. You might also like to enter multiple sets of numbers, as this can boost your chances of winning the jackpot prize!
Once you have chosen your numbers, decide which draws to play. Draws are held on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday night in the U.S., making it 4am on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday in the UK. You can also play multiple weeks in a row on your preferred draw day.
The cut-off time for ticket sales in the UK is 11:55pm on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday evenings, and the cost per play is £4. Tickets are available in-store from summer 2026 after a historic agreement was reached with the Multi-state Lottery Association (MUSL), while you can also play online.
After you have purchased your entries, wait for the draw to take place and find out how many numbers you match. If you play online, you’ll receive an email if you are lucky enough to win. You can also head over to the Results page as soon as the draw has been held in order to find out your results there too.
An additional option is to use the Number Checker to enter the numbers you had selected in your draw – this will analyse the result for you and let you know if you have won, as well as displaying the value of your prizes.
How to Win Prizes
To win a prize, you must match at least two of the five main numbers, or the Powerball. The value of prizes increases as you match more numbers, right up to the multimillion-pound jackpot for matching all six. The jackpot can even reach £1 billion or more, as there is no limit to how high it can go. Go to the Prizes page for more information, along with the odds of winning in each category.
Claiming a prize is also a straightforward process, depending on whether you played online or in-store. Most online prizes are paid out automatically, or you can simply take your ticket to a retailer if you played in-store. For the largest prizes, you will need to contact the UK National Lottery or relevant lottery operator directly and you will then be guided through the rest of the procedure.
The Draw
The Powerball draw uses a traditional ball machine, with five white balls selected as the main numbers and one red ball for the Powerball. It takes place in Tallahassee, Florida, and is subject to strict security protocols. All the equipment is regularly checked to make sure it is working properly and the results are random every time. Draws are broadcast live and are popular with lottery fans in the U.S. and UK.
It is entirely up to you how you select your numbers. It could be that you want to base your selections on some important numbers in your life, such as your age, year of birth, lucky number or house number to name a few! If you don’t have a set of numbers in mind, you can go for a Quick Pick in order to get a random selection.