Picking Your Own Numbers
Request a play slip from the lottery terminal. Visit a lottery retailer like a gas station or a grocery store that sells Powerball tickets. Ask the clerk behind the counter for a play slip for you to pick your own numbers for your ticket. Some lottery retailers will have a container full of blank play slips that you can pull a slip from.
Choose 5 numbers from the first field. The first field on the play slip will have 69 numbers for you to use to select your numbers. Use a pencil to fill in the squares with the numbers that you want in them. Make sure you fill in the square completely. Don’t use a pen or the machine may not be able to read the slip. You can request a pencil from the clerk to use to fill out your play slip.
Select 1 Powerball number. After you’ve selected your 5 numbers from the first field, choose your Powerball number from the second field of 26 numbers. Fill in the entire square of the number you select with a pencil.
Check the Power Play box to boost your winnings. You can increase your non-Grand Prize winnings by 2, 3, 4, 5, or 10 times by selecting the Power Play feature. Mark the box labeled “yes” under the Power Play section on the left-hand side of the slip. Power Play doesn’t increase your chances at winning, but it can multiply the amount that you receive if you do win. The Power Play feature costs an extra $1.
Decide how you want to be paid if you win. To purchase a Powerball ticket you have to choose how you would like to be paid if you win the jackpot. Choose between annual payments or cash value by marking the corresponding box. The annual payment option means you’ll be paid in 30 annual installments if you win the grand prize. The cash value option means that you’ll receive a single payment of the net value of the grand prize. The total amount will be less than advertised jackpot amount because that amount is based on what 30 annual payments would equate to.Tip: You can’t change your payment option later, so choose wisely!
Select the multi-draw option if you want to keep your numbers. If you really like the numbers you’ve chosen, you can play them for up to 10 drawings. At the left-hand side of the play slip, you’ll see a field labeled “Multi-Draw.” Choose the number of times that you want to play with the numbers you’ve chosen.
Purchase your Powerball ticket for $2. When you’ve finished filling out your play slip, bring it to the clerk or cashier and pay $2 to purchase it. Make sure you don’t lose your ticket because anybody can redeem it if it’s a winner! The play slip isn’t your Powerball ticket. It’s just a way for you to pick your own numbers.
Check the results of the Powerball drawing to see if you’re a winner. Watch the drawings broadcast every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday night at 10:59 p.m. ET, or go online to check the winning numbers once they’re drawn. You can also go online to watch a live webcast of the drawing. The live drawing is aired on a local broadcast station. Check online to find which station airs the drawing in your area. Call 800-375-6886 to find out the lottery results. If your ticket is a winner, you have 180 days to claim your prize!
Choosing Random Numbers
Visit a lottery retailer. Most gas stations, grocery stores, or markets sell Powerball tickets. Find one near you to purchase your own ticket. Look online to find a Powerball retailer near you.
Ask the clerk for a quick pick number. When you get to the counter, ask the clerk or cashier for a Powerball ticket and tell them you want the quick pick option. That means your numbers will be randomly selected for your ticket.
Choose the Power Play feature for an additional dollar. For an extra buck, you can boost your winnings by up to a factor of 10 for non-grand prize winnings by choosing the Power Play feature. Tell the clerk that you want the Power Play feature and they’ll will select the option and charge you $1 extra to purchase your ticket. Make sure you say something like, “And I’d like to do the Power Play.”
Tell the clerk how you want to be paid if you win. Before you can buy your ticket, you have to decide how you want to be paid if you win the grand prize. You can choose an annual payment option, which means you’ll receive a payment annually for 30 years. The other option is to receive a cash value, which means you’ll receive 1 lump sum value of the grand prize, but it will be less than the advertised jackpot value. You can’t change your payment option once you choose it!
Pay for your ticket and keep it in a safe location. Once you’ve chosen your payment options, the clerk will tell the total cost for your ticket. Pay for it and keep your ticket stored somewhere safe at home.Tip: Anybody can redeem a Powerball ticket, so make sure you don’t lose it. Store it in your house, not your wallet or car.
Watch the results to see if you’re a winner. The Powerball drawings are held every Wednesday and Saturday night. You can watch the drawing live on TV or on a webcast on the Powerball website. You can also go online to check the winning numbers after they’re drawn. The live broadcast airs at 10:12 p.m. CT. Depending on your area, it will be shown on a local broadcast station. Check online to find out which station the drawing will be aired on. You can call 800-375-6886 to find out the lottery results. If you win, you have 180 days to redeem your ticket!
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