Powerball ticket sales commenced Tuesday in the United Kingdom, extending the lottery's reach across the Atlantic and offering players there a chance to win the same substantial jackpots available to US participants. This expansion marks the first time a lottery outside the United States will contribute to the Powerball jackpot.
The agreement, initially announced in April between the Multi-State Lottery Association in the US and Allwyn UK, is expected to allow UK players to compete for significantly larger jackpots than those offered by existing national and European lotteries.
Wednesday night's drawing will be the first Powerball drawing accessible to players in the UK. The odds of winning a Powerball jackpot remain a statistically low 1 in 292.2 million for both US and UK players, according to lottery officials.
Lottery officials anticipate that the expanded player base will facilitate more rapid growth of Powerball jackpots, potentially driving increased sales as larger prizes draw more interest.
Each Powerball ticket is priced at $2. Tickets purchased in the UK will exclusively contribute to the main Powerball jackpot, with a separate structure for lower-tier prizes within the UK. The advertised jackpot amounts are expected to differ between the US and UK due to currency conversion rates and pre-tax reporting practices in the US.
In the US, jackpot winners have the option of receiving their winnings as an annuity paid over 30 years or as a lump-sum cash payment, with most winners opting for the latter. UK Powerball jackpots will be paid out over a 30-year annuity.
Powerball is currently played in 45 US states, as well as Washington D.C., Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands. The game involves players selecting five white-ball numbers from 1 to 69 and one red Powerball number from 1 to 26. Drawings are held on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays.