Powerball is one of the most popular and widely known lottery games in the United States. It is operated by the Multi-State Lottery Association and is available in 45 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The big, advertised jackpots associated with Powerball capture the attention of people across the country and around the world. This leads many to wonder – is Powerball only played in the United States or are there Powerball games available globally?
The short answer is that Powerball is currently only played in the United States. The Multi-State Lottery Association manages and operates the game exclusively in the participating U.S. locations. There are no official Powerball games available for purchase outside of the United States. However, there are some international lottery games that are similar in format and style to the American Powerball.
Powerball Game Details
The Powerball game involves selecting five main numbers between 1-69 and one additional Powerball number between 1-26. To play, participants purchase a Powerball ticket, either choosing their own numbers or going with a computer-generated quick pick. Tickets cost $2 per play. Drawings are held every Wednesday and Saturday night at 10:59 p.m. Eastern Time.
To win the jackpot, a player must match all five main numbers and the Powerball. The starting guaranteed jackpot amount is $40 million, but it continues rolling over and increasing if there is no jackpot winner. Over time, especially without a winner for several consecutive draws, the advertised jackpot can grow to be hundreds of millions of dollars.
The overall odds of winning any Powerball prize are 1 in 24.9. The odds for the jackpot are 1 in 292.2 million. In addition to the jackpot, there are eight other prize tiers in Powerball ranging from $4 to $1 million. Players win a prize by matching at least some of the numbers.
Powerball draws and jackpots have made headlines for record-breaking amounts. The current record jackpot of $1.586 billion was shared by three tickets in January 2016. Other notable big jackpots include $768.4 million in March 2019 and $758.7 million in August 2017. Part of the game’s appeal comes from the life-changing winnings that are possible.
Powerball Availability in the U.S.
Powerball tickets are sold in the following 45 jurisdictions:
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Puerto Rico
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- U.S. Virgin Islands
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Not every state offers Powerball. The six U.S. jurisdictions without Powerball are Alabama, Alaska, Hawaii, Nevada, Utah, and Mississippi. Residents of these states must cross state lines in order to purchase and play Powerball tickets. Lottery revenues, including those from Powerball tickets, benefit education, senior citizens, and other public causes in the participating jurisdictions where the tickets are sold.
Attempts to Expand Powerball Globally
Powerball is currently limited to being played only in the United States through the Multi-State Lottery Association. However, over the years, there have been some attempts to expand Powerball more globally.
In the early 2000s, discussions occurred between the Multi-State Lottery Association and various international lottery providers about opening up Powerball participation worldwide. But negotiations and plans never resulted in any official international expansion.
More recently, in 2015, legislation was proposed once again to take Powerball global. The proposed bill would have allowed foreign lottery companies, government agencies, and other entities to purchase Powerball tickets in bulk and then re-sell them in their jurisdictions. This would have enabled worldwide Powerball ticket sales without actually expanding the Multi-State Lottery Association’s operations. However, the proposed legislation did not pass.
So for now, playing the official American Powerball game remains limited to within the United States and its participating jurisdictions. The legislation required to enable global ticket sales has not yet been approved. The Multi-State Lottery Association holds the exclusive rights to operate Powerball.
International Lottery Games Similar to Powerball
Though Powerball is not formally available worldwide, some international lottery games mimic aspects of the American format. These can help satisfy the craving for Powerball-style action beyond U.S. borders.
Here are some of the notable international lottery games with similarities to Powerball:
EuroMillions
EuroMillions is a popular lottery game available in nine European countries. Drawings take place in Paris on Tuesday and Friday evenings. Players select five main numbers (1-50) and two Lucky Stars (1-12). To win the rolling jackpot, players must match all five main numbers and both Lucky Stars. The odds are 1 in 139,838,160.
Eurojackpot
Eurojackpot is a European lottery game played in 18 countries across the continent. Players pick five main numbers (1-50) and two Euro Numbers (1-10). Drawings happen on Friday nights in Helsinki, Finland. Matching all numbers wins the multimillion-euro jackpot. Odds are 1 in 95,344,200.
SuperEnalotto
SuperEnalotto is Italy’s popular lottery game with draws on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday evenings. Players select six numbers between 1-90. The main jackpot rolls over and can grow quite large. The overall odds of winning are 1 in 622,614,630.
Mega-Sena
Brazil’s Mega-Sena is drawn two times per week on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Players pick six numbers from 1-60. It has rolled over to impressive nine-figure jackpot amounts. Total odds are 1 in 50,063,860.
Oz Lotto
Australia’s national lottery game Oz Lotto has seven prize divisions. Pick 7 numbers from 1-45. Drawings are held on Tuesday nights. Jackpots can surpass AU$100 million. It’s a 1 in 45,379,620 chance to win the top prize.
SuperLotto Plus
California’s SuperLotto Plus looks very similar to Powerball. Select five main numbers (1-47) and one Mega number (1-27). Drawings are on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Jackpots begin at $7 million and can grow much higher over time. Overall odds are 1 in 41,416,353.
| Lottery Game | Main Numbers | Additional Numbers | Draw Frequency | Starting Jackpot | Overall Odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Powerball | 1-69 | 1-26 | Wednesdays and Saturdays | $40 million | 1 in 292,201,338 |
| EuroMillions | 1-50 | 1-12 (2 stars) | Tuesdays and Fridays | €17 million | 1 in 139,838,160 |
| Eurojackpot | 1-50 | 1-10 (2 numbers) | Fridays | €10 million | 1 in 95,344,200 |
| SuperEnalotto | 1-90 (6 numbers) | N/A | Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays | €1.5 million | 1 in 622,614,630 |
| Mega-Sena | 1-60 (6 numbers) | N/A | Wednesdays and Saturdays | No minimum | 1 in 50,063,860 |
| Oz Lotto | 1-45 (7 numbers) | N/A | Tuesdays | AU$2 million | 1 in 45,379,620 |
| SuperLotto Plus | 1-47 (5 numbers) | 1-27 | Wednesdays and Saturdays | $7 million | 1 in 41,416,353 |
The Thrill of Huge Jackpots
Part of Powerball’s appeal is the ability for jackpots to grow into hundreds of millions of dollars. The other international games mentioned also have this potential for massive top prizes that capture attention. Even though the odds of winning are extremely long, the opportunities to win life-changing amounts of money drive interest and ticket sales.
Legal limitations prevent official Powerball games from being played globally right now. But some of these international lottery options allow people outside the United States to experience the thrill of playing for gigantic jackpots. The games listed above are accessible worldwide and mimic aspects of the Powerball format. So while Powerball itself is currently only played in the U.S., international lottery games can provide similar enjoyment of pursuing huge jackpots.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are answers to some common questions about Powerball’s availability:
Can you play Powerball outside the United States?
No, Powerball tickets can only be purchased from licensed retailers in one of the 45 participating U.S. jurisdictions or online at approved lottery websites. There is no way to play official Powerball games while overseas or in other countries. Only ticket sales within the United States fund and contribute to the game’s jackpots.
What is the closest international lottery game similar to Powerball?
The European lottery EuroMillions is probably the most comparable to Powerball in terms of format, size of jackpots, and game aesthetics. Both games involve choosing five main numbers and one or two additional numbers. EuroMillions also frequently has massive rolling jackpots over €100 million.
What are the biggest jackpots in international lotteries?
Some record jackpots from around the world include:
- €220.8 million EuroMillions jackpot in France, 2021
- £195 million EuroMillions jackpot in United Kingdom, 2012
- €190 million Eurojackpot jackpot in Germany, 2021
- €177.7 million EuroMillions jackpot in Spain, 2018
- ₹1.6 billion Mega Millions jackpot in United States, 2022
Can you buy foreign lottery tickets in the United States?
Some third-party courier services and ticket purchasing companies exist that can facilitate buying legitimate lottery tickets from overseas lotteries. But it is technically illegal to purchase foreign lottery tickets by mail or online as a U.S. resident under the 1901 Federal Lottery Act. Any winnings also may be subject to tax withholding.
What country has the biggest jackpot ever?
The United States holds the record for the biggest lottery jackpot in history – a $1.586 billion Powerball prize split by three tickets in January 2016.
Conclusion
In summary, Powerball remains an exclusively American lottery game as operated by the Multi-State Lottery Association. It generates tremendous buzz and sales due to the ability for jackpots to grow to hundreds of millions of dollars. There have been attempts to take Powerball global, but legal limitations and failed legislation have so far prevented international expansion. For now, playing Powerball legally remains limited to the United States. But several overseas lottery games have similar formats and also provide the excitement of playing for enormous rolling jackpots. So while Powerball itself is restricted to the U.S., global lottery players can still enjoy comparable games and potentially win big life-changing prizes. The thrill of multi-million dollar jackpot chasing is not limited just to Powerball.
