The Powerball is one of the most popular lottery games in the United States, with jackpots that can reach into the hundreds of millions of dollars. Many people dream of winning the Powerball jackpot and wonder if they can purchase Powerball tickets online.
For residents of Virginia, the answer is yes – you can play Powerball online through the Virginia Lottery’s official lottery subscription service. This online lottery service allows you to purchase Powerball tickets from the comfort of your home, without having to visit an authorized Virginia Lottery retailer.
In this article, we’ll provide an overview of how to play the Powerball online in Virginia, the rules and odds of winning, and frequently asked questions about playing Powerball on the internet in Virginia.
How to Play Powerball Online in Virginia
To play Powerball online in Virginia, you need to sign up for a Virginia Lottery online play account. This can be done by visiting the Virginia Lottery’s website and clicking on the “Subscriptions” tab. From there, follow these steps:
- Click on the “Register” button to begin creating your online play account.
- Provide your name, address, email, phone number, date of birth, and last 4 digits of your Social Security number.
- Create a username and password for your account.
- Enter and confirm your credit or debit card information – this will be used to automatically purchase your Powerball tickets.
- Review and accept the Terms & Conditions for online play.
- Validate your account through an email confirmation process.
Once your account is confirmed and validated, you’ll be able to log in and use the online portal to purchase Powerball tickets. You can choose to buy single tickets for specific upcoming draws, or you can subscribe to have your tickets automatically renewed for each drawing.
You’ll receive an email confirmation with details of each Powerball ticket purchased through your online account. The actual physical ticket will be kept in a secure location on your behalf by the Virginia Lottery. If you win a prize, the winnings will automatically be deposited into your online play account.
Powerball Ticket Prices Online
Powerball tickets cost $2 per play when purchased online in Virginia. You can purchase up to 5 plays on one ticket, for a maximum ticket cost of $10.
There are some small convenience fees associated with online ticket purchases. Per transaction fees are $0.15 for debit cards and $0.25 for credit cards. There are no fees for bank account (ACH) transactions.
You must be at least 18 years old to play Powerball online in Virginia. All Powerball ticket sales – including online sales – go towards supporting Virginia’s K-12 public schools.
Check Powerball Results Online
To check the winning Powerball numbers and see if you’re a winner, log into your online play account. The winning numbers will be displayed after each drawing. You can also find the results posted on the Virginia Lottery’s website and mobile app.
Prizes up to $600 can be claimed directly through your online account. Larger prize amounts will need to be claimed at one of the Virginia Lottery’s Customer Service Centers.
Powerball Game Rules and Odds
Now that you know how to purchase Powerball tickets online, let’s go over the basic game rules and odds of winning a prize.
How to Play Powerball
Each Powerball ticket costs $2 per play. When playing Powerball, you need to select 5 main numbers between 1 and 69, and 1 additional Powerball number between 1 and 26.
To play, you can either select your own numbers manually or choose to Quick Pick and have the numbers randomly generated for you. Online, you can take advantage of the Quick Pick option to get your ticket in just a few clicks.
The Powerball drawings take place every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday at 10:59 p.m. EST. To win the jackpot, you’ll need to match all 5 main numbers and the Powerball.
Powerball Prize Payouts
Match this many numbers: Prize amount:
5 main + Powerball Grand prize jackpot
5 main only $1 million
4 main + Powerball $50,000
4 main only $100
3 main + Powerball $100
3 main only $7
2 main + Powerball $7
1 main + Powerball $4
0 main + Powerball $4
The overall odds of winning any Powerball prize are 1 in 24.9. The odds of winning the jackpot are much steeper, at around 1 in 292 million. While tough to beat, the chance of taking home a big Powerball prize still attracts millions of players.
Powerball Jackpot
The minimum Powerball jackpot starts at $40 million and continues growing until someone wins. Jackpots roll over to the next drawing if no ticket matches all 6 numbers. The record Powerball jackpot to date was over $1.5 billion shared by three lucky winners in January 2016.
Jackpot winners can choose to receive their prize as either a one-time lump sum cash payment or as an annuity paid out over 29 years. The lump sum cash value is reduced from the advertised jackpot, but offers more flexibility to winners.
Taxes also take a bite out of Powerball jackpot winnings. Federal taxes withheld on prize amounts range from 24-37% depending on the size. State taxes may also apply.
Why Play Powerball Online?
Playing Powerball online through the Virginia Lottery offers a convenient way to play without visiting a retail location. Benefits include:
- Tickets can be purchased 24/7 from home
- Never miss entering a drawing
- Avoid losing paper tickets
- Easily manage ticket subscriptions
- Direct deposit of winnings
- Support Virginia public schools
The main downside to playing online is you miss out on the “experience” of buying tickets in person. However, the perks and ease of playing online make it a great option for many Virginia lottery players.
Is it Legal to Play Powerball Online?
Yes, playing state-run lotteries like Powerball online is completely legal as long as you live in the state offering the service. In Virginia, online lottery play was authorized after legislation passed in 2020 allowing for online lottery ticket sales.
The Virginia Lottery’s subscription service provides the only legal way for Virginia residents to purchase genuine Powerball tickets over the internet. Lottery ticket sales are carefully regulated, and only authorized lottery retailers can sell tickets within a particular state.
There are some unauthorized third party courier services that illegally purchase and resell lottery tickets across state lines. However, it is illegal to purchase lottery tickets online through any website other than your state lottery’s official online platform.
As long as you stick to the official Virginia Lottery website for online play, you can rest assured that playing Powerball on the internet is legal and legitimate. Your tickets will be subjected to the same security measures as retail ticket purchases.
Is it Safe to Provide Credit Card Info?
Some people are hesitant to input their credit card information to lottery websites. However, buying Powerball tickets online through the Virginia Lottery is completely safe.
The Virginia Lottery incorporates high-level security measures to protect players’ personal and financial data. Information entered into your online account is encrypted through Secure Socket Layer (SSL) protocols. Account access requires secure password logins.
Physical lottery terminals are PCI compliant for secure credit card processing. Financial transactions are handled by trusted payment processors like Visa, MasterCard, and Intralot. Account activity is also monitored for any suspicious or unauthorized activity.
In over 10 years of operation, the Virginia Lottery’s online play service has never had any reported security breaches resulting in stolen player data or financial information. You can verify the site’s SSL certificate by looking for the padlock icon.
Just like shopping online with any major retailer, entering your credit card information through the Virginia Lottery website is completely safe and secure.
Are Winnings Automatically Paid Out?
Yes, any prizes you win from Powerball tickets purchased online will automatically be credited back to your Virginia Lottery account. You don’t have to collect winnings or cash in tickets manually.
Smaller prizes under $600 will be instantly deposited to the bank account, debit card, or other payment method associated with your online account. You can withdraw these funds or use them to purchase more tickets.
If you win a large Powerball prize over $600, the money won’t automatically be paid out. However, the Virginia Lottery will contact you to begin the prize claims process. You will still need to provide identification and complete paperwork before the lottery will release your full winnings.
Having winnings directly deposited eliminates the risk of losing a winning paper ticket. It also prevents others from trying to illegally cash in your ticket before you have a chance.
Can You Remain Anonymous?
For jackpots over $10 million, Virginia allows Powerball winners to remain anonymous. The Virginia Lottery will not reveal your identity to the public unless you specifically request it.
However, you will need to be identified to lottery officials to have your prize claimed. It just means that your name, photo, and other personal details do not have to be announced publicly like in some other states.
The anonymity does not apply for smaller Powerball prizes under $10 million. For substantial wins below the jackpot level, the Virginia Lottery will make your name public. But only upon your consent according to state laws.
So while you can keep your identity mostly private as a jackpot winner, those who win smaller prizes won’t have the same option if they wish to collect the money.
Do Winnings Expire?
Yes, there is an expiration date by which you must claim any Powerball prizes won online. Unclaimed winning balances maintained in Virginia Lottery accounts will expire after 180 days.
That means you have 180 days from the date of the drawing to log into your account and withdraw any lower-tier winnings. For jackpot and high-tier prizes above $600, you would need to begin the claims process during this timeframe.
It is rare, but if a major prize goes unclaimed for the full 180 days, the money is returned to the lottery. This can occasionally happen if someone fails to check their numbers or doesn’t have online account access.
Once the expiration period ends, the Virginia Lottery will consider any unclaimed prizes to be forfeited. So make sure to keep your account information up to date and log in regularly to check for any winnings.
Can You Play Powerball in Other States Online?
The option to purchase official state lottery tickets online is slowly expanding across the US, but remains limited. Currently, you can only play Powerball online in a handful of states that offer subscription services.
In addition to Virginia, some other states with online Powerball ticket sales include:
- Michigan
- Kentucky
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Washington DC
To play Powerball online, you must be physically located within that state at the time of ticket purchase. State lotteries verify location using IP addresses and other geolocation methods.
There are a few unauthorized lottery courier services that claim to sell tickets online to customers in different states. However, it is illegal to purchase lottery tickets across state lines. These services also carry risks of fraud and scams.
Unless more states roll out their own subscription services, Virginia residents can only legally play Powerball online through the Virginia Lottery. Purchasing tickets as a Virginia resident while temporarily visiting another state is also prohibited.
Getting Started with Powerball Online
Ready to start playing Powerball online in Virginia? Just visit valottery.com and look for the “Subscriptions” section. Sign up for an account in a few quick steps:
- Provide your personal information
- Enter payment details
- Accept the terms & conditions
- Validate your account
Once registered, you can log in 24/7 to buy tickets for upcoming Powerball drawings. Choose to buy single tickets or set up recurring plays.
As an online player, you’ll also receive special promotions and coupons for discounted Powerball tickets. First-time players get $5 in free ticket credits to get started.
With the convenience of playing online, you’ll never have to worry about losing or forgetting your Powerball tickets. Prizes are automatically credited to your account. So what are you waiting for? Sign up and play Powerball online in Virginia today!
