While Powerball is a widely popular game of chance and winning big, there are fun facts about how to play Powerball and Powerball jackpots that you might not know.
Many stories feature Powerball Jackpot winners and what they plan to do with their winnings. But not much is out there about Powerball itself! Here are ten fun facts you might not know about Powerball.
1. How Powerball began
The concept was born in 1988 under the humble name of Lotto America. In April 1992, the game got a facelift, changing its name to Powerball, and the first Powerball drawing took place officially on April 22, 1992. Initially, only 15 states participated in Powerball: Delaware, Iowa, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Washington DC, Wisconsin and West Virginia. Today, Powerball boasts 45 states participating, a big leap from the early days.
2. Powerball winner stats
Powerball jackpot winners are always asked how they plan to spend their winnings, and here are some interesting factoids: When it comes to big-ticket purchases, two out of three winners buy a new home, and 25% of those in the money move to a different country! A whopping 83% share a portion of their money with family members. Other winners book dream vacations, new cars, and high-end jewelry and clothing.
3. How many people play Powerball?
Powerball is an exciting and popular game with many players, and the numbers prove it! In Florida, a staggering 9.08 million people played Powerball, giving that state top honors in the highest number of players category. Nationwide, 181 million people are purchasing Powerball tickets annually.
4. Powerball Jackpot facts
Let’s talk money now, beginning with how the Powerball jackpots work: Every jackpot begins at $40,000, and there is no cap on how high it can go. The more people buying Powerball tickets, the higher the jackpot amount. The biggest jackpot in Powerball history? In November 2022, Edwin Castro hit it big with his Powerball numbers, netting him a cool $2.04 billion payout! The prize money is split equally if multiple winners have the right numbers.
5. Superstitions, strategies, and myths
Many players hold onto numeric superstitions that they believe will bring them luck and big wins. Believe it or not, 13 is considered a lucky number by many Powerball players. It’s one of the most drawn Powerball numbers, too. Other players only purchase their tickets at certain locations or play on the same day of the week. Some strategize using number counting and other mathematical formulas in the hopes of a big win. However, Powerball odds reset with each drawing, and numbers are selected at random, which debunks most of these strategies.
6. Where to play Powerball
Playing Powerball is easy. Quite a few options are available, starting with an authorized Powerball outlet such as a gas station, convenience store, or supermarket. Online play is simply a click away, with players setting up an online account at their respective Powerball website. After a quick sign-up process, players can securely enter their bank account information to simplify purchases and remittance of winnings. The third method of play is via an app on your cell phone. Following a similar process to the online play method, players can have up-to-the-minute info on winning numbers, drawing times, and notifications if they are a big winner.
7. Community and schools win, too
Schools and other community-minded entities can also be considered Powerball winners. Every participating state gives back some or all of the net proceeds from Powerball. For example, 100% of the net proceeds in North Carolina go directly to school systems to benefit education. Homeless shelters, daycares, and centers for the elderly also benefit from Powerball monies.
You might already know many of these fun facts, but maybe some were new to you, and now you are better informed about Powerball. Maybe some of these facts listed can help you in your quest to win big at Powerball!