Everything You Need To Know About Powerball

Powerball is the lotto game bringing you Australia’s largest jackpots and biggest individual prizes! Read this guide on how to play Powerball before you buy your Powerball ticket in Thursday’s draw. We cover everything you need to know about Powerball.

What is Powerball?

Modelled on the famous American lottery, Powerball is a unique lotto game that features balls drawn from two separate barrels. Powerball division prizes are all of different amounts. However, the Powerball has a guaranteed minimum Division 1 prize pool of $4 million — and reached a record $200 million jackpot in February 2024.

How do I play Powerball?

Playing Powerball is simple. Take a look at this step-by-step guide on how to play Powerball:

1. First, decide how you want to play: There are a number of different ways to play. You can choose from a standard entry (pick your numbers or a, QuickPick), System, System Pick, PowerHit, PowerHit System and PowerHit Pick entry (more on these different types of entries below).
2. Choose your numbers: You need to choose 7 numbers from 1 to 35.
3. Choose 1 Powerball number: from 1 to 20 in a single game panel.
4. Purchase your ticket: You can buy your Powerball ticket online or through the Oz Lotteries mobile app. 
5. Enter the draw: approximately before 8:30pm AEST (9:30pm AEDT) . This is when the draw closes.

Where do I buy Powerball tickets?

Buying your Powerball ticket is simple and straightforward. You can buy your Powerball ticket from the Oz Lotteries website or our easy-to-use Oz Lotteries mobile app. This means you can play anywhere at any time.

Ready to add a ticket now? Choose a QuickPick option below or head over to the Powerball page now to see all ticket options.

You can also buy a Powerball ticket from a registered reseller, such as your local newsagent. 

How much does it cost to play Powerball?

The minimum Powerball cost to play is $6.20. You can purchase a Standard ticket from $6.20 for 4 games. 

However, Powerball prices will vary based on the game type. For example, the minimum cost of a PowerHit entry is $31 for one game. The more games you would like to play, the more your ticket will cost.

How many numbers to win Powerball?

To win Powerball, you need at least 2 winning numbers from the first barrel as well as the Powerball number from the second barrel. Alternatively, you can win Powerball without getting the Powerball number if you select 5, 6 or 7 of the winning numbers from the first barrel. Your numbers can be in any order. How many numbers in Powerball you need to win a Division will depend on the Division number. 

There are different types of tickets you can choose to play, some of which can increase your odds of winning Powerball. For example, a PowerHit ticket guarantees you the Powerball number. 

You could also opt to join a Powerball Syndicate, which is another way to increase your chances of winning Powerball. 

Powerball Divisions

There are 9 different Powerball divisions. Division 9 has the best odds of winning. 

The winning 7 Powerball numbers are randomly selected from a pool of 35 balls numbered 1 to 35. Then, the winning Powerball number is randomly selected from a pool of 20 balls numbered 1 to 20. To win Division 1, you need all 7 matching numbers to win in Powerball plus the Powerball number. You must match at least 2 numbers plus the Powerball number to win the lowest Powerball Division prize, Division 9. 

Division 1	7 numbers + the Powerball
Division 2	7 numbers
Division 3	6 numbers + the Powerball
Division 4	6 winning numbers
Division 5	5 numbers + the Powerball
Division 6	4 numbers + the Powerball
Division 7	5 numbers
Division 8	3 numbers + the Powerball
Division 9	2 numbers + the Powerball

Different types of Powerball Games

How does Powerball work? Powerball is both easy and flexible to play. There are a number of different ways you can play depending on your preference and your budget. You can play Powerball online or purchase your ticket through a reseller.

Powerball Standard entry

With a Standard entry, you can choose to play a QuickPick or with your own numbers. 

A QuickPick is the easiest way to play Powerball, where your numbers are generated randomly for you and the number of games is set.

But choosing your own numbers gives you more control over how you play, as you can select the exact amount of games you want to play and what numbers. 

Powerball System entry

A System entry increases your odds of winning Powerball and can also give you the chance to win across multiple divisions. 

With a Standard entry, you need to select 7 numbers from the first barrel as well as the Powerball number. With a System entry, you’re able to choose 8 to 20 numbers, rather than just 7, giving you more chances to win. 

There are also PowerHit System entries, which guarantee you the Powerball and also allow you to choose from 8 to 15 numbers from the first barrel. 

Powerball PowerHit entry

A PowerHit entry guarantees you the winning Powerball number. However, you will still need to select your own numbers for the first barrel or have them randomly generated for you with a QuickPick.

Powerball Pick entry

There are 3 types of Pick entries: Pick entry, PowerHit Pick 5 entry and PowerHit Pick 6 entry. 

A Pick entry guarantees you 1 or 2 winning numbers. Whereas a PowerHit Pick 5 or a PowerHit Pick 6 guarantees you 1 or 2 winning numbers from the main barrel as well as the Powerball. 

Powerball AutoPlay entry

You can also choose to play for multiple draws or set up a recurring entry, or both. 

Play for multiple draws for up to 10 weeks using the same ticket. Or AutoPlay your entry to ensure you never miss out on a draw! An AutoPlay entry can be based on your preferences, whether you want to enter every draw or only when a certain jackpot amount is reached. 

How to play PowerHit in Powerball and increase your odds?

So, what is a PowerHit in Powerball? A PowerHit ticket increases your chances of winning Powerball by guaranteeing you have the winning Powerball number. You’ll still need to choose the first 7 numbers for the main barrel, however. You can do this by selecting the numbers yourself or choosing a QuickPick that randomly generates numbers for you. 

You will receive 20 games with a PowerHit, with 20 different Powerball numbers. The Powerball can only be a number between 1 and 20, so you’re guaranteed to get the winning number in 1 of those games! This is why PowerHit odds are higher than some other Powerball games.

The minimum cost of a PowerHit entry is $27. 

You can play a Powerball Syndicate with a PowerHit entry, simply called a PowerHit Syndicate. Playing a Powerball Syndicate is also one way of increasing your chances of winning. 

We have created an animated video to help explain what exactly a PowerHit is to help give you a better understanding of how it works.

Powerball Prizes and Jackpots

There are 9 different Powerball divisions. The Division 1 prize pool every week has a minimum of $4 million prize money. The highest Powerball jackpot reached $200 million in February 2024.  

The Division 1 prize pool rolls over each week if the jackpot isn’t won. It resets only once it’s been won. The only way to win Division 1 is to match all 7 numbers from the main barrel as well as the Powerball number. 

Each week, the division prize pool amounts will change. This is because the prizes depend on the number of entries into each draw. 

While it’s not often that the Division 1 prize is won by more than a single ticket, the other divisions frequently have multiple winners. For example, Division 9 can sometimes have tens of thousands of winners across Australia. So while your chances of winning the Division 9 are much higher than those of winning Division 1, you’ll need to expect to share the jackpot with other lucky winners!

To give you a better idea of Powerball division prizes, take a look at this table that shows the prizes won for each System or Pick entry.

How do I claim a Powerball prize?

Oz Lotteries will automatically deposit your prize payment into your Oz Lotteries online account. From there, you can request a withdrawal of funds by cheque, direct deposit into your bank account, or into a valid PayPal account. Notably, all your winnings are tax-free!

When does the Thursday Powerball draw close?

Powerball entries close on Thursdays at 7:25pm AEST / 8:25PM . You must ensure that you enter the draw before this time to avoid missing out. 

What time is Powerball drawn?

The Powerball draw time is Thursday night at approximately 8:30pm AEST (9:30pm AEDT).

How can I watch the Powerball draw?

The Powerball draw is on 7TWO at approximately 8:30pm AEST/9:30pm AEDT every Thursday night.

Where can I find Powerball results?

If you miss the live draw, there are a number of ways you can check Powerball results. When you create an Oz Lotteries account online, you can receive the latest draw results straight to your email inbox. You can also check your ticket or search past draw results via the Oz Lotteries website.

How can I read a Powerball lottery ticket?

In order to read your Powerball lottery ticket, you need to check the winning numbers against the numbers on your ticket. 

The minimum numbers you need to win Powerball are two matching numbers from the first barrel as well as the Powerball number from the second barrel. 

Are Powerball winnings taxed?

Australian lotteries like Powerball are not taxed. That means if you win Powerball you get to keep your full prize winnings. For example, if you are the only winner of a $50 million jackpot, you will get a cheque or bank transfer for $50,000,000!

What are the rules of Thursday Powerball?

The rules of Powerball are straightforward and simple. This is a round-up of some of the Powerball winning rules:

• In order to play Powerball, you must be 18 years or older.
• You can enter online or in-store through a registered reseller. However, you must enter the draw before the cut-off time of Thursday, approximately 8:30pm AEST (9:30pm AEDT).
• The minimum amount of numbers needed to win the lowest division (Division 9) is 2 winning numbers from the main barrel and the Powerball number.
• The minimum amount of numbers needed to win without also getting the Powerball number is 5.
• If only 1 entry or 1 Syndicate entry is the winner of the Division prize, then the prize will go to that entry. If there are 2 or more entries or Syndicate entries, then the prize will be divided equally between those entries. 
• Winners are always contacted by Oz Lotteries. 

Other Powerball rules to be aware of:

• You have the option to cancel your Powerball ticket entry before the draw. 
• Disqualification can occur if the player is unable to pay the selling fee; the payment method is not accepted; there is reasonable suspicion of fraud; a malfunction occurs with a Computer Linked Terminal or NSW Lotteries’ central processing computer equipment; or a breach of any other game rules. 
• Prizes in a game of Powerball can include money, holidays, travel and accommodation. However, prizes cannot include alcohol or tobacco. 

If you’re looking for more information, you can view the full rules of Powerball.

So now you know how to play Powerball

Now that you know how to play Powerball and how to increase your chances of winning, it’s time to buy your ticket for this Thursday’s draw.

Make sure you’re in the draw and get your Powerball tickets at Oz Lotteries today.