Is today your lucky day?
The Powerball jackpot has hit $100 million, with millions taking entries in Thursday's draw.
Despite the odds forever stacked against them, up to half of Australian adults are gambling on winning a $100 million lottery prize.
The Lott’s Matt Hart says up to half of the Australian adult population are expected to enter the draw in the hopes of scoring Powerball’s biggest win of 2024.
A Chance for WA to Make History
If one lucky WA player takes home the entire $100 million jackpot on Thursday night it will be a record win for the state. There were no division one winners in last week’s Thursday Lotto draw, skyrocketing tonight’s Powerball to $100 million, the biggest jackpot since May. More than 205,000 WA winners shared in minor prizes last Thursday night, including a division two winner set to claim $149,000.
Tips for Playing
Lotterywest chief executive Colin Smith encourages millionaire hopefuls to purchase tickets early to avoid crowds.
“We are expecting the busiest time for ticket sales to be between 4pm and 5pm this afternoon, with around 920 tickets sold each minute,” he said.
“Tonight’s jackpot is a great opportunity to create a syndicate with family or friends and share the cost of a ticket and possibly the joy of a win.
“Significant division one wins in WA are often shared by syndicates, including a group of workmates who shared a $53 million Powerball prize in October 2022, which is fantastic to see.”
It is expected that up to half of Australian adults will have a ticket for tonight’s mega-draw.
What the Money Will Be Used For
Funds raised from ticket sales will help Lotterywest grant $2.5 million to the Shire of Derby to upgrade community spaces and engage young locals.
Luckiest Numbers
Lotterywest reports that the most frequently drawn winning numbers are 17, 7, 9 and 20, while the least frequently drawn are 15, 33, 31 and 26.
The most frequently drawn Powerball numbers are 2 and 4, while the least frequently drawn Powerball numbers are 14 and 12.
How to Enter
Tickets are available in-store and online via the Lotterwest app until 6 pm tonight.
Powerball Jackpot Reset: A New Chance to Win
The Powerball jackpot was back to $20 million on Wednesday after someone won a $44.3 million jackpot in Monday's drawing, the second time the jackpot has been won this month.
Recent Powerball Winners
The jackpot was last won on Aug. 19 when a California lottery player won a $44.3 million jackpot.
Powerball Odds
Powerball drawings are held three times a week - Monday, Wednesday and Saturday at 10:59 p.m. Monday drawings were added in 2021. The deadline for purchasing Powerball ticket varies by state so don't wait until the last minute. The deadline in New Jersey is 9:59 p.m. on the day of the drawing, while New York's deadline is 10 p.m.
How to Play
The cost is $2 per ticket, but you can add the Power Play for $1, which will increase the amount of your potential prize up to five times the original prize (except for the jackpot and Match 5). There is also a 10x Power Play possibility when the jackpot is less than $150 million.
Each player selects five numbers from 1 to 69 for the white balls and one number from 1 to 26 for the red Powerball. However, you can also have the lottery machine generate a quick pick ticket with random numbers for you.
Powerball Prizes
Prizes vary from $4 for the matching the Powerball to $1 million for matching all five white balls (except in California) to the jackpot for matching all six balls. You can check all the prize payouts on the Powerball website here.
Where You Can Play Powerball
You can play the game in 45 states plus the Washington DC, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Tickets can be purchased in-person at gas stations, convenience stores and grocery stores. Some airport terminals may also sell lottery tickets.
Online Powerball Ticket Options
You can also order tickets online through Jackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network, in these U.S. states: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Texas, Washington D.C. and West Virginia. The Jackpocket app allows you to pick your lottery game and numbers, place your order, see your ticket and collect your winnings all using your phone or home computer.
Powerball Odds Explained
The odds of winning the jackpot are 292,201,338-to-1.
The odds to match all five white balls are 11,688,053-to-1.
How Powerball Winnings Are Paid Out
The major lotteries in the United States offer two jackpot payout options: annuity and cash.
The annuity option is paid out over time. There is an immediate payment and then 29 annual payments after that, increasing by 5% each year.
The cash option is significantly lower than the advertised jackpot, but it is paid in a lump sum. You don't have to wait decades for all the money.
Powerball Winner Anonymity
In some states, like New Jersey, you can win a lottery anonymously. That wasn't always the case, but now winners are able to stay anonymous under a law that was signed by Gov. Phil Murphy.
In other states, a winner's name and hometown are a matter of public record. Check with your state lottery for more information.
Powerball: A Look Back at the Top Jackpots
Here are the Top 10 jackpots since the Powerball lottery began in 1992:
Here's a look at the top jackpots won in the United States, between the Powerball and the Mega Millions lotteries:
Jackpocket is the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network. Gannett may earn revenue for audience referrals to Jackpocket services. Must be 18+, 21+ in AZ and 19+ in NE. Not affiliated with any State Lottery. Gambling Problem? Call 1-877-8-HOPE-NY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY); 1-800-327-5050 (MA); 1-877-MYLIMIT (OR); 1-800-GAMBLER (all others). Visit jackpocket.com/tos for full terms and conditions.
