The Powerball jackpot is set to get even bigger. A reporter will explain.
USA TODAY’s Fernando Cervantes explains the historic agreement with Britain’s National Lottery.
After producing two jackpot winners and dozens of new millionaires, Powerball is back with a new prize.
The Powerball jackpot was reset to $20 million, or $9 million in cash, ahead of the May 2 drawing, following a $143 million win on Wednesday, April 29. Lottery officials said the winning tickets were sold in Kansas and Indiana.
Wednesday’s drawing didn’t just produce two jackpot winners. Led by New Jersey, about 90 other players from 20 states won Powerball prizes ranging from $1 million to $2 million. Eighteen of those big winners were from the Garden State.
Powerball says the jackpot has been hit nearly 200 times since the game’s inception in 1992. Currently, 45 US states are participating, but only five states do not offer the game: Alabama, Alaska, Hawaii, Nevada, and Utah.
Here’s what you need to know about Saturday night’s Powerball drawing.
What are the winning Powerball numbers for May 2nd?
USA TODAY will publish the winning numbers at 10:59 p.m. ET after the lottery drawing.
Do I have to be a US citizen or resident to play Powerball?
The short answer is no. You do not need to be a U.S. citizen or resident to play Powerball. Anyone visiting any of the 45 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, or the U.S. Virgin Islands may purchase lottery tickets from authorized and licensed retailers, regardless of nationality, as long as they meet the legal age requirements (usually 18 years old) at the time of purchase.
Top 10 Powerball Jackpots
- $2.04 billion in California on November 7, 2022
- December 24, 2025, $1.817 billion in Arkansas.
- $1.787 billion in Missouri and Texas on September 6, 2025
- $1.765 billion in California on October 11, 2023
- January 13, 2016, $1.586 billion in California, Florida, and Tennessee
- April 6, 2024, $1.326 billion in Oregon.
- $1.08 billion in California on July 19, 2023
- $842.4 million in Michigan on January 1, 2024
- March 27, 2019, $768.4 million in Wisconsin
- August 23, 2017, $758.7 million in Massachusetts
How to play Powerball
Powerball tickets cost $2 per play and are sold in 45 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. This can be done at a variety of locations, including local convenience stores, gas stations, and grocery stores. In some states, you can purchase Powerball tickets online depending on the local jurisdiction.
Once you have your ticket, you have to choose six numbers. Five of them are white balls numbered from 1 to 69. The red Powerball range is 1-26. You can also add a “Power Play” for $1, which increases your winnings on all non-jackpot prizes. “Power Play” multipliers can increase your winnings by 2x, 3x, 4x, 5x, or 10x.
A “Quick Pick” option is also available if you want the computer to select the numbers for you. To win the jackpot, players must match all five white balls with the red Powerball in any order.
Powerball drawings are held on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday nights. The winnings continue to increase even if no one wins the jackpot.
Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Contact us at fernando.cervantes@usatodayco.com and follow us at X @fern_cerv_.
