There’s always something new to learn about the popular draw game POWERBALL©. While millions across America—including plenty of folks here in West Virginia—try their chances on the POWERBALL drawings each week, many don’t know all the ins and outs of how the game actually works.
Let’s dive into five surprising facts that might change how you play your next ticket.
1. Winning doesn’t require matching all numbers
While the jackpot is what naturally grabs the most headlines, POWERBALL® actually offers nine different ways to potentially win.
For instance you can:
- Match just the red POWERBALL© number alone.
- Hit three white balls.
- Match two white balls plus the POWERBALL©.
- Land all five white balls without the POWERBALL©.
Every prize tier except the jackpot stays fixed, while the jackpot keeps growing until someone claims it.
2. Power Play can boost smaller wins
For just an extra buck per play, adding Power Play to your ticket could multiply non-jackpot winnings.
Before each draw, a multiplier (2x, 3x, 4x, 5x, or sometimes 10x) gets randomly selected. If you win any prize besides the jackpot, your winnings get multiplied by that number.
It’s worth noting that the 10x multiplier only comes into play when the advertised jackpot sits at $150 million or less.
3. West Virginians can play online
No time to visit a store? No problem. In West Virginia, you can buy POWERBALL® tickets through the official iPLAY platform on the West Virginia Lottery’s website or mobile app.
Playing online lets you:
- Pick your own numbers or let Quick Pick do it for you.
- Enter multiple future draws at once.
- Add Power Play with a simple click.
- Get digital confirmation and security instantly.
- Tickets are stored directly in your account.
- You can view and monitor your previous entries.
4. You get three shots weekly
POWERBALL® drawings happen every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday at 11:00 PM ET. That’s three chances every week to try your chances on the multi-state phenomenon.
If you do wish to play regularly, look into multi-draw options or auto-renewal (only available online) to make sure you never miss a drawing.
5. It’s created some truly massive prizes
While every POWERBALL® jackpot starts at a respectable $20 million, without a winner, it can grow to truly staggering amounts.
One particularly notable jackpot exceeded $2 billion, setting the record for the largest Lottery prize in American history. The combination of the progressive format and players across the country contributing to the pot allows for these sums to accumulate between drawings.
Hitting these mega-jackpots is incredibly rare, and there is no way the outcome can be predicted or influenced. It’s a game of chance after all!
Understanding these lesser-known features might help you make the most from your POWERBALL® gameplay.
