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Powerball is Coming to the UK This Summer
Powerball, the world’s biggest jackpot game, will be available in the UK from this summer! It promises to offer prizes on a scale never seen before in Europe, having regularly topped $1 billion in recent years.
Allwyn outlined its ambition to bring the magic back to the National Lottery when it became operator back in 2024, and is now in a position to roll out an exciting array of new games, including a new-look version of Lotto.
The UK will also be joining Powerball - a lottery that is currently played in 48 U.S. states and jurisdictions and will now become international for the first time.
How Does Powerball Work?
Powerball is a double-matrix draw game in the same vein as Thunderball or EuroMillions. Pick five main numbers from a range of 1 to 69, plus a Powerball number from a separate range of 1 to 26. Draws take place every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday evening in the U.S., which translates to around 4am on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday in the UK.
The jackpot starts at around £12 million (a fixed $20 million) and grows every time it is not won. It quickly climbs to $100 million when nobody wins and usually reaches 10 figures once or twice a year. It may not be long before the UK sees its first £1 billion jackpot!
If you win the jackpot, it will be paid out in annual instalments over 30 years, rather than a one-time lump sum. In this respect the game can be classified as an annuity lottery like Set For Life.
There will be nine other prize categories in the UK version of the game, including a fixed £1 million prize for matching all five main numbers without the Powerball. The lowest prize will be £8 for matching two main numbers.
| Prize Category | UK Prize | Odds Of Winning |
|---|---|---|
| 5 Main Numbers + Powerball | Jackpot Paid over 30 years | 1 in 292,201,338 |
| 5 Main Numbers | £1,000,000 | 1 in 11,688,054 |
| 4 Main Numbers + Powerball | £33,000 | 1 in 913,129 |
| 4 Main Numbers | £1,000 | 1 in 36,525 |
| 3 Main Numbers + Powerball | £500 | 1 in 14,494 |
| 3 Main Numbers | £52.10 | 1 in 580 |
| 2 Main Numbers + Powerball | £30.80 | 1 in 701 |
| 1 Main Number + Powerball | £15.30 | 1 in 92 |
| Powerball | £11.90 | 1 in 38 |
| 2 Main Numbers | £8 | 1 in 28 |
| The overall odds of winning any Lotto prize are 1 in 14. | ||
The overall odds of winning are 1 in 14, while the odds of winning the jackpot are around 1 in 292 million. Powerball will cost £4 per line, and you will be able to play four weeks in advance just like other National Lottery games.
When Will It Start?
The exact start date has not yet been confirmed, but both the National Lottery and the Powerball Product Group have announced that the first draw for UK players will be held this summer.
Andria Vidler, CEO of Allwyn UK, said: “We’re delighted to be joining the Powerball community. Our ambition is to bring more games, more innovation and more excitement to The UK National Lottery – and it doesn’t get more exciting than Powerball, with its transformative jackpots and life-changing contribution to good causes.”
Matt Strawn, Powerball Product Group Chair and Iowa Lottery CEO, said: “This partnership expands the player base in a way that benefits every jurisdiction participating in Powerball. This is a win for Powerball players – as more people play, the faster jackpots grow, all while keeping odds the same for every Powerball drawing, wherever a player buys their ticket.”
Keep an eye on Lottery.co.uk for more information as the arrival of Powerball approaches, and start to follow the draw results to see how the jackpot is shaping up before you can play.
