While Powerball winners can be entirely random, there are some U.S. states that just seem to produce more winners than others.
Playing Powerball, despite the many myths and beliefs out there, is entirely random. No two games are drawn based on the previous games. No numerical relevance carries weight in future drawings. And while you might be inclined to be a little superstitious about how you choose your numbers, the odds for a level playing field will always be level.
But there are some trends that make it appear some players are luckier than others. In reviewing past winners, it seems residents of certain states seem to win more often than others, too. So, which state has officially produced the most Powerball winners? Check out the data for these states and see if you might call one of them home yourself.
Some of the Most Winningest States Across All Lottery Games
Based on the wide variety of lottery games, including Powerball, for 2021, there are a few states that earn bragging rights for earning the most in terms of ticket sales. This means these states have the most players buying regular tickets. And Florida has the most players out of all 50 states.
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Florida: $9,076.22M in Ticket Sales
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New York: $8,594.88M in Ticket Sales
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California: $8,417.94M in Ticket Sales
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Texas: $8,107.2M in Ticket Sales
The U.S. States with the Fewest Powerball Winners
Before we get to the winningest state, here are the states with the fewest number of Powerball grand prize jackpot winners recorded in recent years. But remember, not all states have been offering Powerball for the same number of years. So, this snapshot isn’t intended to represent anything other than an overview of geography for past winners. And living in one of these states certainly doesn’t impact your chances of winning, either.
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Ohio - 3
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Maryland - 3
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Colorado - 3
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South Dakota - 3
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Texas - 2
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Illinois - 2
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Puerto Rico - 2
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Arkansas - 1
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Virginia - 1
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Washington - 1
The Top 9 States for Producing Grand Prize Winners
Rounding out the top ten, and before naming the winningest state of them all, is this list of nine states that have produced the most Powerball grand prize jackpots. You’ll notice a few of those also have among the highest recorded ticket sales overall, meaning places where more players are present are still producing a large number of Powerball jackpot winners.
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Missouri - 31
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Minnesota - 22
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Wisconsin - 19
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Kentucky - 18
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Pennsylvania - 18
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Louisiana - 17
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Florida - 16
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Arizona - 13
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New York - 12
Which State Officially Produces the Most Powerball Jackpot Winners of All?
According to a few sources, including World Population Review, the state that is home to the absolute most Powerball winners is Indiana. And with 39 winners on the books, it clearly has paid to live in Indiana for some folks.
Does Where You Live Really Matter?
Again, your odds of winning any Powerball prize amount will have nothing to do with where you live. But these analytics do seem to point to some states producing more winners than others. It’s important to remember that not every state began offering Powerball at the same time, so data could be skewed based on more years of gameplay than others. And the only real way to improve your chances of winning is by buying more tickets and playing more games.
Before you decide to pack up your belongings and family and move to Indiana, or any of those other winningest states, remember, playing Powerball is entirely random. Your odds of winning any Powerball prize will be the same regardless of where you call home. The only way to increase your odds of winning a Powerball jackpot is to get out there and play more!