(NEXSTAR) — This year has already been significant for Powerball, marked by the introduction of a new game designed to create lifelong millionaires and numerous high-value payouts to lucky winners who selected matching numbers in recent draws. Powerball’s influence is set to grow even further, expanding its reach overseas.
Managed by the Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL), the popular draw game is already available in every state legally permitted, along with the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Later this month, Powerball will make its debut in the United Kingdom as a result of a collaboration with Allwyn UK, the operator of the country’s national lottery.
Matt Strawn, Chair of the Powerball Product Group and CEO of the Iowa Lottery, expressed optimism regarding this development, stating in an April press release that the inclusion of the UK is likely to benefit Powerball enthusiasts.
What is changing about Powerball?
For enthusiasts in the United States, not much will change. The way you play, the prize categories, and the odds of winning will remain consistent. Drawings will continue to take place at 10:59 p.m. ET on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays, with tickets priced at $2 (or $3 for players in Idaho and Montana).
The hope is that Powerball jackpots are impacted the most by adding the UK lottery. Specifically, by increasing the pool of possible players, ticket sales could rise, thereby boosting the Powerball jackpot at a faster clip. Another national draw game, Mega Millions, opted to raise ticket prices and adjust game structure instead to help spark jackpots and increase the value of lower-tier prizes.
Will Powerball be different in the UK?
Slightly, yes.
Ticket sales will end at 11:55 p.m. local time on draw days, roughly four hours before the actual drawing happens. Powerball will be played the same in the UK as well.
However, the ticket prices and prize tiers will vary most, as will how the jackpot is paid out, should a player in the UK win.
Tickets will cost £4 in the UK, the equivalent of about $5, but overseas Powerball players will have an additional way to win. The lowest prize, worth £8, is available to those who match two of the numbers from the main pool. That’s not an option for U.S. players.
| Numbers matched | UK payouts | US payouts | US payouts w/ Power Plays |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 main + Powerball | Jackpot | Jackpot | Jackpot |
| 5 main | £1,000,000 | $1,000,000 | $2,000,000 |
| 4 main + Powerball | £33,000 | $50,000 | $100,000 – $500,000 |
| 4 main | £1,100 | $100 | $200 – $1,000 |
| 3 main + Powerball | £500 | $100 | $200 – $1,000 |
| 3 main | £52.10 | $7 | $14 – $70 |
| 2 main + Powerball | £30.80 | $7 | $14 – $70 |
| 1 main + Powerball | £15.30 | $4 | $8 – $40 |
| Powerball | £11.90 | $4 | $8 – $40 |
| 2 main | £8 | N/A | N/A |
Tiered prizes in the UK range between about $10.40 and $1,301,700, based on conversion rates as of Monday.
The lower-tier prizes in the UK, except the lowest and highest non-jackpot prizes, will “vary depending on the balls drawn, the number of winners in each tier and currency exchange rates.” Only lottery players in California can see non-jackpot prize payouts vary; they remain fixed in all other jurisdictions.
Though Powerball jackpot winners in the U.S. get to decide between two different payout methods, a jackpot winner in the UK can only receive their payout as an annuity. U.S. players rarely ever opt for the annuity payment, which is the larger number you usually see advertised.
UK lottery officials say the decision to pay a jackpot winner over 30 years “provides a steady, reliable income over many years, helping to support long-term financial security,” a sentiment U.S. financial experts have shared.
Should tickets sold in the U.S. and the UK hit the jackpot, the prize will still be split between the winners, just as it is when two or more players in the U.S. match the same numbers.
When do Powerball ticket sales begin in the UK?
On July 21, officials announced on Monday, meaning players across the Atlantic will have their first chances at winning in the Powerball drawing on Wednesday, July 22.
Meanwhile, U.S. players are vying for a jackpot estimated at $416 million, with a cash value of $186.6 million. The next drawing is set for 10:59 p.m. ET on Monday.