Powerball is an American lottery game sold in 44 jurisdictions as a shared jackpot game. It is coordinated by the Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL), a non-profit organization formed by an agreement with lotteries.
Since the format change on January 15, 2012, Powerball's minimum advertised jackpot is $40 million (annuity) with a potential of nine-figure prizes (prior jackpots began at $20 million.).
Its annuity option is paid in 30 graduated installments; winners may choose cash instead.
Powerball drawings are held Wednesdays and Saturdays at 10:59 p.m. Eastern time.
The game uses a 5/59 (white balls) + 1/35 (Powerballs) matrix from which winning numbers are chosen. Each play costs $2, or, with the Power Play option, $3. (Prior to January 15, 2012, games cost $1 each, or $2 with Power Play; that option was added in 2001.)
The official cutoff time for ticket sales is 10 pm ET; some jurisdictions cut sales earlier.
The drawings usually are held at the Florida Lottery’s high-tech studio in Tallahassee. Before, the drawings were held at Universal Studios in Orlando (prior to 2009, its drawings usually were held in Iowa.).
On the night of each drawing, there are 6 prerecorded draws: four "test" drawings, then the actual drawing, followed by a "post test" draw. Some drawings were held away from headquarters to promote the game's expansion to a new jurisdiction.
The results of drawings are not official until they are audited by the accounting firm Harvey, Covington & Thomas, LLC Powerball, on February 18, 2006, produced the third-largest prize awarded for one set of numbers drawn in a US lottery game.
The prize was $364 million; the eight people sharing the ticket chose the cash option, splitting $177,270,519.67 before withholdings. (Mega Millions produced the two biggest jackpots in American history.)

The 2010 Expansion of Mega Millions and Powerball
On October 13, 2009, the Mega Millions consortium and Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL) reached an agreement in principle to cross-sell Mega Millions and Powerball in US lottery jurisdictions with this combination of the 2 lotteries being referred to as the Mega Power Lottery by many users.
The expansion occurred on January 31, 2010, as 23 Powerball members began selling Mega Millions tickets for their first drawing on February 2, 2010; likewise, 10 Mega Millions members began selling Powerball tickets for their first drawing on February 3, 2010.
Montana (joining Mega Millions on March 1, 2010) was the first jurisdiction to add either game after the cross-sell expansion. Nebraska (March 20, 2010), Oregon (March 28, 2010), Arizona (April 18, 2010), Maine (May 9, 2010), Colorado, and South Dakota (the latter two on May 16, 2010) also have joined Mega Millions since the expansion.
With Louisiana joining Mega Millions in November 2011, Mega Millions and Powerball each are played in 44 jurisdictions, with 43 lotteries selling tickets for both games.
California is the only Mega Millions member that does not offer Powerball, while Florida is the only Powerball member that does not offer Mega Millions.
It is likely this cross-selling arrangement is a temporary measure, as lotteries investigate the possibility of merging the two games.

Top Powerball jackpots since the game started in April 1992:

SOURCE: NASPL

Coming November 29 Buy your Powerball® and Megabucks Plus Subscriptions at any New Hampshire Lottery Retail Location!
CONCORD, New Hampshire (November 23, 2009) - As of November 29, players will be able to purchase Tri-State Megabucks Plus and Powerball/Powerball with Power Play subscriptions from any of our 1,200 lottery retailers statewide!........................Subscribers

Another Multistate Game Available In South Carolina By End Of January
COLUMBIA, South Carolina  (November 11, 2009) - MegaMillions will join the ranks of the popular Powerball game as the state's second $1 ticket that offers lucky players a long-shot, multimillion-dollar payoff for picking six numbers.................Subscribers

Multistate Lotteries Blurring Lines
The division between Powerball and Mega Millions will become fuzzier because of a cross-selling arrangement.
URBANDALE, Iowa (November 9, 2009) - Starting in January, the state lines currently separating the country into Powerball states and Mega Millions states will be further eroded as the two games enter a cross-selling arrangement.......................Subscribers

Arizona Lottery Gives Away Free Powerball Tickets That Could Be Worth $66 Million
Purchasers of Millionaire Raffle “Holiday Edition” by Nov. 19 receive free Powerball ticket
PHOENIX, Arizona  (November 4, 2009) - Just in time for the growing Powerball jackpot currently sitting at $66 million for tonight’s drawing, the Arizona Lottery is doling out free Powerball tickets to players who purchase an Arizona Lottery Millionaire Raffle...................Subscribers

Arkansas Scholarship Lottery Powerball Sales Exceed $1 Million Since Launch
Little Rock, Arkansas (November 5, 2009) ­- The Arkansas Scholarship Lottery (ASL) celebrated the advent of the sale of Powerball® tickets by announcing that total sales were $1,095,100, through November 4, 2009. Arkansas became the 31st state, along with the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands........................Subscribers

New Mexico Lottery Approves Mega Millions
ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico (October 27, 2009) – In a special meeting today, the New Mexico Lottery’s board of directors voted in favor of introducing another multi-state jackpot game similar to Powerball®.......................Subscribers

Agreement May Bring Powerball® To Texas
AUSTIN, Texas (October 12, 2009) – The Texas Lottery Commission announced today that an agreement in principle has been reached between the Mega Millions® consortium and the Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL) to allow for the sale of both Mega Millions and Powerball® tickets in all U.S. lottery jurisdictions..................Subscribers

Powerball Could Be Available In The Bay State As Soon As January
BOSTON, Massachusetts (October 10, 2009) – It was reported today that Treasurer Tim Cahill, has scored a Powerball bonanza that finally will give Bay State lottery players a chance to play the popular multimillion-dollar numbers game................Subscribers

Powerball Could Be Available In The Bay State As Soon As January
BOSTON, Massachusetts (October 10, 2009) – It was reported today that Treasurer Tim Cahill, has scored a Powerball bonanza that finally will give Bay State lottery players a chance to play the popular multimillion-dollar numbers game................Subscribers

South Carolina Powerball Ticket Wins $259.9 Million Jackpot
ORLANDO, Florida (August 20, 2009) - A Powerball ticket sold in South Carolina matched all 6 of the numbers drawn to win last night's Powerball jackpot worth almost $260 million..............Subscribers

Lotto Fever Hits as Multistate Jackpots Grow
NEW YORK, USA (August 16, 2009) -- The Powerball lottery game, played in more than 30 states, now has a jackpot of $245 million for Wednesday night's drawing. The other big multistate lottery Mega Millions now has an estimated jackpot of $170 million for Tuesday night's drawing.....................Subscribers

$232.1 Million Powerball Jackpot Ticket Sold in South Dakota
PIERRE, South Dakota (May 28, 2009) -- The town of Winner has lived up to its name in the biggest of ways. The single jackpot-winning ticket for last night’s Powerball drawing was sold in Winner, South Dakota.  The ticket matched all five white balls and the red Powerball to win the $232.1 million jackpot.......................Subscribers

Massachusetts Senate OKs Powerball, Nixes Slots at Tracks
BOSTON, Massachusetts (May 21, 2009) – According to local media reports the Massachusetts Senate voted on Thursday to join the multistate lottery game Powerball but rejecting proposals to add slot machines at racetracks and delay a ban on greyhound racing.......................Subscribers

State Lottery May Soon Include Powerball Game
SEATTLE, Washington (March 23, 2009) -- A proposal that will be heard before the Senate Ways and Means committee this afternoon would allow the Washington Lottery to link with other multi-state games without getting Legislative permission first...................Subscribers

New Jersey Looks to Add Second Multi-State Lottery Game
NEW JERSEY (March 9, 2009) -- New Jersey could become the first to participate in two multistate lotteries...................Subscribers

Powerball Boosting Overall Florida Lottery Sales
FLORIDA, USA (February 25, 2009) – According to a report by local media source WJHG-TV the multi-state game, Powerball, is cannibalizing other Florida Lottery products, but boosting overall sales.................Subscribers

$163 million Powerball Ticket Sold in Indiana
LAWRENCEBURG, Indiana (January 19, 2009) -- The manager of a southeastern Indiana convenience store that sold Powerball ticket worth an estimated $163.5 million hopes the winner is one of her regular customers................Subscribers

Sales For Florida’s First Powerball® Drawing Top $7 Million – Best Ever First-Time Sales Nationwide!
TALLAHASSEE, Florida (January 8, 2008) -- The Florida Lottery today announced that POWERBALL® ticket sales for the first drawing totaled $7,730,306; more than any other state’s first draw sales in POWERBALL history.  In fact.....................Subscribers

First Day Powerball® Sales Top $1.5 Million!
TALLAHASSEE, Florida (January 5, 2009) -- The Florida Lottery today announced that POWERBALL® ticket sales totaled more than $1.5 million on the first day of sales, Sunday, January 4, 2009..................Subscribers

Powerball Tickets Printed in Error
BOISE, Idaho (January 4, 2009) – A small number of Idaho Lottery tickets printed for Powerball, beginning with this coming Wednesday night’s $105 million jackpot, were printed in error..................Subscribers

Florida Lottery Congratulates Universal Orlando Resort on Becoming The New Home For Powerball Drawings
TALLAHASSEE, Florida (January 2, 2009) -- Beginning Wednesday, January 7, 2009, POWERBALL® drawings will be broadcast from Sound Stage 19 at Universal Orlando Resort - just in time for the launch of the multi-state lottery game in the sunshine state. The POWERBALL drawings will continue to................Subscribers

Enhanced Powerball Game Will Debut Jan. 7 - Opening Jackpot Will Increase to $20 Million
MIDDLETOWN, Pennsylvania (December 4, 2008) -- The first drawing of the enhanced Powerball game, featuring the nation's largest starting jackpot, will be held Wednesday, Jan. 7.................Subscribers

Lottery Suspends Powerball Multidraw in Preparation for 2009 Game Changes
BATON ROUGE, Louisiana (October 6, 2008) -- In order to prepare for Powerball game changes coming Jan. 4, 2009, the Louisiana Lottery Corporation announced that it would temporarily and progressively suspend the multidraw purchase option for Powerball tickets, beginning Oct. 22, 2008...............Subscribers

Nine Roswell Residents Claim $206.9 Million Powerball® Jackpot
ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico (October 3, 2008) -- Friends from Roswell came to the New Mexico Lottery today to collect a Powerball® jackpot of $206.9 million..............Subscribers

New Mexico Lottery Sells $200 Million Powerball Jackpot Ticket
ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico (September 27, 2008) -- The New Mexico Lottery announced tonight that it sold the winning ticket for the $200 million Powerball jackpot prize drawn tonight.  It was the only winning ticket nationwide.  It is the largest Powerball prize ever won in New Mexico................Subscribers

Powerball TV Show Host Ready To Hang Up The Tuxedo
DES MOINES, Iowa (September 8, 2008 -- Powerball TV show host Mike Pace's number is just about up. Pace, who has been the national TV face of the multistate lottery game that started as Lotto America in 1987 and morphed to Powerball in 1992, will call out his last winning numbers at a West Des Moines studio in January..................Subscribers

Powerball ® Game Set To Change
BERLIN, Vermont, USA (August 13, 2008) - The 31 lotteries that operate the multi-state, multi-million dollar jackpot game, Powerball, recently approved game changes designed to create larger, faster growing jackpots and more millionaires. The new version of Powerball is expected to take effect in January 2009, when Florida joins the game.................Subscribers

Jackpot-Winning Powerball® Ticket Worth $86.3 Million Sold in Pennsylvania
WILLOW STREET, Pennsylvania, USA (August 4, 2008) -- Pennsylvania Lottery officials today announced the sole jackpot-winning ticket worth $86.3 million from the Aug. 2, 2008, Powerball® drawing was sold in Lancaster County....................Subscribers

Lawmaker Expresses Dismay at Televised Powerball Drawing Being Moved from Des Moines to Florida
DES MOINES, Iowa, USA (July 21, 2008) – During the Legislature's Oversight Committee meeting on Monday Rep. Wayne Ford (D-Des Moines) expressed dismay that the televised Powerball drawing is being moved from West Des Moines to Florida when that state joins the 32-member consortium....................Subscribers

$84.9 Million Powerball Jackpot Won!
POWERBALL, Iowa, USA (July 3, 2008) -- One lucky ticket in Oklahoma matched all 6 numbers Wednesday evening and walked away with the $84.9 million jackpot. The holder of the winning ticket will now have to decide to either take the 29-year, 30-installment annuity, or take the one-time cash "lump sum" amount of $41,305,108.
The numbers drawn were 4, 33, 46, 48, 52 and the Powerball was 17. The Power Play multiplier was 5.
For more information on Powerball, please visit our website at www.powerball.com.
CONTACT: Doug Orr, Multi-State Lottery Association, 515-453-1404.

Powerball® Welcomes the Florida Lottery as Its Newest Partner
POWERBALL, Iowa (July 2, 2008) -- The Multi-State Lottery (MUSL) announced today that the Florida Lottery will become the 32nd lottery to add Powerball to its mix of lottery products...............Subscribers

Florida Lottery Joins Powerball®
Powerball Drawings Will Move To Florida In 2009
TALLAHASSEE, Florida, USA (July 2, 2008) – The Florida Lottery announced today that it will join the Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL) and add Powerball® to its portfolio of games starting in January 2009.  Florida will become the 30th state to join the multi-state lottery game, which is currently offered in 29 states, the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands.............Subscribers

$34.1 Million Powerball Jackpot Won in Louisiana!
IOWA, USA (June 1, 2008) -- One lucky ticket in Louisiana matched all 6 numbers Saturday and walked away with the $34.1 million jackpot.................Subscribers

$35.3 Million Powerball Jackpot Won in South Carolina!
POWERBALL, Iowa (May 18, 2008) -- One lucky ticket in South Carolina matched all 6 numbers Saturday and walked away with the $35.3 million Powerball jackpot............Subscribers

$180.1 Million Powerball Jackpot Won in Minnesota!
POWERBALL, Iowa, USA (May 4, 2008) - One lucky ticket in Minnesota matched all 6 numbers Saturday and walked away with the $180.1 million Powerball jackpot. The holder of the winning ticket will now have to decide to either take the 29- year, 30-installment annuity, or the one time cash "lump sum" amount of $88,020,951.................Subscribers