Powerball Prize Tiers and Odds: All 9 Ways to Win Explained

Updated: 2026-11-01

Powerball has nine prize tiers, from a $4 prize for matching only the Powerball (about 1 in 38.32) up to the jackpot (1 in 292,201,338). The overall chance of winning any prize is 1 in 24.87.

Powerball has nine prize tiers. The smallest prize is $4, for matching only the Powerball, at odds of 1 in 38.32. The jackpot requires matching all five white balls plus the Powerball, at odds of 1 in 292,201,338. The chance of winning any prize on a single ticket is 1 in 24.87.

Below you'll find every tier with its exact odds, how the optional Power Play changes non-jackpot prizes, how the jackpot is paid, and what to know about taxes if you play from outside the United States. All figures come from the official Powerball prize chart and the IRS pages linked in the tax section (information as of 1 April 2026).

Powerball prize tiers and odds at a glance

In the table, "5" means five white balls matched and "+PB" means the Powerball matched as well.

The overall chance of winning any prize is 1 in 24.87.

How to read the table

• Only the jackpot varies by draw. It is the one prize listed without a fixed amount, because it depends on the jackpot size at that draw.
• Some tiers pay the same. Tiers 4 and 5 both pay $100, tiers 6 and 7 both pay $7, and tiers 8 and 9 both pay $4. The odds differ, though. For example, 2 + PB (1 in 701.33) is harder to hit than 3 white balls alone (1 in 579.76), even though both pay $7.
• The Powerball itself matters most at the low end. Matching just the Powerball is the single most common winning outcome in the table.

What the odds actually mean

"1 in 292,201,338" describes the chance on one ticket for one draw. It does not mean a win is "due" after many losses, and it does not mean any particular set of numbers is more or less likely than another. Every draw is random and independent.

The 1 in 24.87 figure is also easy to misread. It counts every prize, including the $4 tiers. It is not a chance of winning a meaningful sum, and it does not guarantee that you will win anything over a given number of tickets. Treat it as a measure of how often some prize appears, nothing more.

No method of choosing numbers changes any figure above. The odds are the same for every ticket.

Are the lower-tier prizes always fixed?

In most U.S. jurisdictions, prizes below the jackpot are published as fixed amounts. There is one notable exception. The official Powerball site states that in California, lower-tier prizes are pari-mutuel, meaning the amount depends on sales and the number of winners. A ticket bought in California may therefore pay something different from the amounts in the table.

If you play through a ticket messenger service, the state where the ticket is physically purchased is the one that matters. Check the prize rules for that state.

How Power Play changes non-jackpot prizes

Power Play is an optional add-on. It applies only to non-jackpot prizes. The jackpot is never affected.

For most prizes, the multiplier drawn on the night decides the result. The possible multipliers are 2X, 3X, 4X and 5X. A 10X multiplier can be added only when the advertised annuity jackpot is $150 million or less.

Power Play multiplier odds

These are the multiplier's own odds of being drawn. They do not change your chance of matching numbers in the first place.

The second prize is a special case

The second prize (five white balls, no Powerball) is $1,000,000 by default. With Power Play, it always pays $2,000,000, whatever multiplier is drawn. Every other non-jackpot tier depends on the multiplier drawn for that draw.

Jackpot payout: annuity or cash option

A jackpot winner chooses between two payment structures:

• Annuity: 30 payments in total, with the first payment followed by annual payments over 29 years.
• Cash option: a single lump sum equal to the jackpot's cash value.

The cash value is not a fixed percentage of the advertised jackpot. Powerball says it depends on the actual cash held in the jackpot fund and on market conditions. A large advertised figure therefore does not tell you the exact lump sum in advance.

Taxes on Powerball prizes

This section is general information, not tax advice. Rules differ by residency, treaty and state, so check them with a qualified adviser.

U.S. residents

According to IRS Publication 505, lottery winnings above $5,000 are generally subject to 24% federal withholding. This is an advance payment, not necessarily your final tax bill. Your actual liability depends on your total taxable income, filing status, deductions and any state tax, so you may owe more or receive a refund when you file.

Players outside the United States

For nonresident aliens, U.S.-source gambling and lottery income is generally subject to 30% federal withholding, unless a valid tax treaty position changes the result. See the IRS instructions for Form 1042-S.

Per IRS Topic No. 419:

• Nonresident aliens with U.S.-source gambling winnings should look at Form 1040-NR and Schedule NEC, along with Publications 519, 515 and 901.
• U.S. residents typically see federal withholding reported on Form W-2G.

Whether you also owe tax in your home country depends on local law and is outside the scope of this guide.

Claiming rules, anonymity and who can play

Three points often cause confusion:

• Foreign winners: The federal tax material reviewed for this guide describes withholding and reporting for non-U.S. winners. It does not show a federal ban on foreigners collecting lottery prizes. Actual claim and ID requirements are set by the state where the ticket was bought.
• Anonymity, claim deadlines and claim location: No federal rule fixes these. They are generally set by each state's lottery rules.
• Ticket purchasing services: The federal law on online gambling (UIGEA, 31 U.S.C. 5362) includes an exception for certain intrastate lottery transactions. That exception does not automatically make third-party purchasing or courier services legal in every state. Permission depends on each state's laws and lottery regulations.

Where to go next

For an overview of the game, see our Powerball introduction. If you want to play, tickets are available on the Powerball purchase page.

Play only what you can afford to lose. The odds above are the odds for everyone, and no ticket is guaranteed to win.

Lottery draws are random and no strategy changes the odds. Play only with money you can afford to lose. 18+.