FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions - Powerball

Powerball

• What are the odds in Powerball?
• When can I purchase Powerball tickets?
• What states, other than Colorado, participate in Powerball?
• What is Power Play?
• Are subscriptions available for Powerball? Can I buy Powerball tickets online?
• Do I have to match the numbers in the exact order drawn?
• What is Advance Play?
• What is the percentage of people who choose Quick Picks versus those who pick their own numbers?
• How can I find winning Powerball numbers?
• At what prize amount do Powerball jackpot begin?
• When did Colorado join Powerball?
• What does the cash value equal for Powerball?
• What is the Match 5 Bonus Prize and how does it work?

What are the odds in Powerball?

The odds of winning the Powerball jackpot are 1:195,249,054. The odds of winning any prize are 1:36. You can find more information on our Web site here: http://www.coloradolottery.com/index.cfm/ID/22/How-to-Play-Powerball/

When can I purchase Powerball tickets?

Powerball tickets are available for sale at 4:30 a.m. Monday through Saturday and at 8:00 a.m. on Sunday.  Sales are suspended at each evening at 11:59 p.m for system balancing.

On Wednesday and Saturday drawing nights sales are suspended at 7:30 p.m. and resume at 4:30 a.m. after system balancing has concluded.

What states, other than Colorado, participate in Powerball?

There are 32 jurisdictions that participate in Powerball.  They are: Arizona, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, U.S. Virgin Islands, Vermont, Washington D.C., Wisconsin, West Virginia and of course, Colorado.

What is Power Play?

Power Play is an exciting way to pump up your Powerball winnings.  For an additional $1 per line of play, you can multiply your winnings by 2, 3, 4 or 5 times!    A Power Play number from 2 to 5 is drawn at the time of the Powerball drawing.  The Power Play number becomes the multiplier applied for that drawing.  If you match at least the Powerball, your winnings will be multiplied by that number. (Power Play will not, however, multiply the jackpot amount.)  For example, if you purchase the Power Play option and win the Match 4 prize of $100, and the Power Play number is 3, you would win $300 instead of $100.

And if you win the Match 5 prize of $200,000, and you also purchased a Power Play, your winnings will automaticallybe multiplied by 5 times and you could win a cool $1 million without hitting the jackpot*!

Don’t forget to ask the clerk for Powerball with Power Play!

*  Powerball may reduce prize levels for Powerball and/or Power Play, including the Match 5+0 prize, in the unlikely event that an unanticipated number of winners occur in a given draw for which claims exceed the available draw sales and prize reserves.

Are subscriptions available for Powerball? Can I buy Powerball tickets online?

No.  Online subscriptions are not available for Powerball.  However, Advance Play tickets can be purchased at Lottery retailers for up to 26 consecutive drawings.

Do I have to match the numbers in the exact order drawn?

No. The tickets print the numbers in numerical order. You can match the numbers drawn in any order.

What is Advance Play?

Advance Play allows you to purchase up to 13 weeks of tickets at one time (that's 26 draws for Powerball and Lotto, and 78 draws for Cash 5). The same numbers will be used for the entire time. You can either save your ticket until the end and collect all of your winnings at once, or collect your winnings as you go along. If you choose to collect your winnings as you play, be sure you get a replacement ticket. Advance Play is available at Lottery retail locations throughout Colorado.  

What is the percentage of people who choose Quick Picks versus those who pick their own numbers?

In Colorado, about 80% of purchases are Quick Picks.

How can I find winning Powerball numbers?

1.  Current winning numbers and access to past winning numbers can be found on the home page of the site (http://www.coloradolottery.com).
2.  MyLottery members can have winning numbers sent to them by email or text message.  Click here to join MyLottery now.
3.  Lottery results are also publicized by most television stations and daily newspapers. 
4.  Lottery retailers can print winning numbers reports for current and past drawing dates. 

At what prize amount do Powerball jackpot begin?

The Powerball jackpot starts at $20 million, and increases from there according to sales if no one matches all 6 numbers (5 numbers plus the Powerball).

When did Colorado join Powerball?

The Colorado Lottery began ticket sales for Powerball on August 2, 2001, with the first drawing taking place on August 4, 2001.  Powerball tickets can be purchased at all Colorado Lottery Lotto and Cash 5 retailers.  

What does the cash value equal for Powerball?

The advertised Powerball jackpot is the estimated value of the annuity, which is paid over 30 years.  Winners also have the option of choosing the cash value, which is approximately 50 percent of the annuitized value.

What is the Match 5 Bonus Prize and how does it work?

When the Powerball jackpot reaches the largest previous Powerball jackpot amount, the amount of the jackpot prize will increase by no more than $25 million per draw. Any jackpot prize money collected in excess of the increased jackpot amount will be placed into a Bonus Prize pool and will accumulate until there is a jackpot winner. At that time, the money in the Bonus Prize pool will be divided equally among all winners of the Match 5 prize. If there are no Match 5 winners, the Bonus Prize will be divided equally among all winners of the Match 4 + Powerball ($10,000) prize. The Bonus Prize will be paid in one lump cash sum.

The Bonus Prize is in addition to any Power Play prize that is won. The Bonus Prize is not multiplied by the Power Play number.