History of Powerball in Timeline
Powerball is a lottery game available in 45 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. It's managed by the Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL). Drawings occur three times a week, specifically on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays at 10:59 p.m. Eastern Time. The drawings take place at the Florida Lottery headquarters in Tallahassee.
1987: WGN-TV Loses Broadcast Rights
In 1987, WGN-TV lost broadcast rights to Chicago's Fox owned-and-operated station WFLD.
1988: WFLD Acquires Broadcast Rights
In 1988, Chicago's Fox owned-and-operated station WFLD acquired Illinois Lottery broadcast rights from WGN-TV.
1988: Mike Pace Hosts MUSL Drawings
In 1988, Mike Pace started hosting MUSL drawings when Lotto America began.
1988: Lotto America
In 1988, Powerball's predecessor began as the multi-state game known as Lotto America.
April 19, 1992: Name Change to Powerball
On April 19, 1992, the game Lotto America changed its name to Powerball.
1992: Illinois Lottery Drawings on WGN-TV
In 1992, Illinois Lottery drawings were aired nationally on WGN-TV.
August 1996: Georgia Joins The Big Game
In August 1996, Georgia joined The Big Game after leaving Powerball.
November 2, 1997: Annuity and Cash Option Changes
On November 2, 1997, the annuity was changed from 20 to 25 yearly payments, and the cash option was added to Powerball.
1997: Cash Option Introduction
In 1997, the cash option was introduced, initially requiring all Powerball players to choose between cash or annuity when playing.
1998: Florida's Permission to Participate
In 1998, Florida was given permission by its government to participate in a multi-state game.
1999: Cash option phase out
By 1999, the regulation that all Powerball players had to make the choice of cash or annuity when playing was phased out.
1999: Machine model change and cash option phase out
In 1999, Powerball switched to using the Halogen model machine manufactured by Smartplay International, replacing the Criterion model from Beitel Lottery Products. Additionally, by 1999 the regulation that all Powerball players had to make the choice of cash or annuity when playing was phased out.
1999: Florida Prevented from Joining Powerball
In early 1999, Florida's Governor Jeb Bush prevented Florida from joining Powerball.
March 7, 2001: Power Play Added
On March 7, 2001, the Power Play multiplier was added, allowing players to multiply non-jackpot winnings by up to five by paying an extra $1 per game.
2001: Power Play Introduced with a wheel
In 2001, Power Play began and was drawn with a special wheel.
2001: Power Play Introduced
In 2001, Power Play was introduced as a multiplier feature for Powerball.
December 25, 2002: $314.9 Million Jackpot Won in West Virginia
On December 25, 2002, a construction firm president in Putnam County, West Virginia, won a $314.9 million Powerball jackpot, which was then a record for a single ticket in an American lottery. The winner chose the cash option of $170 million.
2002: Payout Comparison to 2002 Winner
The October 19, 2005, cash payout of $164.4 million was smaller than a previous winner's cash payout in 2002 due to a change in the annuity structure.
March 30, 2005: 110 Second-Prize Winners
On March 30, 2005, the Powerball drawing produced 110 second-prize winners, with a total payout of $19.4 million. 89 winners received $100,000 each, and 21 winners received $500,000 each due to Power Play selections.
October 19, 2005: $340 Million Jackpot Won in Oregon
On October 19, 2005, a family from Jacksonville, Oregon, won a $340 million Powerball jackpot. The winners chose the cash payout of $164.4 million.
2005: Mega Millions available in California
Mega Millions became available in California in 2005.
February 18, 2006: $365 Million Jackpot Won in Nebraska
On February 18, 2006, a $365 million Powerball jackpot was won by one ticket in Nebraska. The ticket was shared by eight people who worked at a meatpacking plant, and they chose the cash option of approximately $177.3 million.
2006: MUSL replaced one of the 5× spaces on the Power Play wheel with a 10×
In 2006, MUSL replaced one of the 5× spaces on the Power Play wheel with a 10×.
2006: Powerball Slot Machines Released
In 2006, WMS Gaming released a range of slot machines under the Powerball brand name.
2007: MUSL replaced one of the 5× spaces on the Power Play wheel with a 10×
In 2007, MUSL replaced one of the 5× spaces on the Power Play wheel with a 10×.
2008: Florida Allowed to Join MUSL
In 2008, Governor Charlie Crist allowed Florida to join MUSL.
2008: 10x Multiplier Returned for Power Play
In 2008, the 10× multiplier promotion returned for Power Play, and the ball landed in the 10× space twice.
2008: Powerball Drawings in Iowa
Through 2008, Powerball drawings usually occurred at Screenscape Studios in West Des Moines, Iowa.
January 4, 2009: Florida Joins MUSL
On January 4, 2009, Florida joined MUSL.
March 2009: New Jersey Seeks to Join Powerball
In March 2009, New Jersey sought permission to join Powerball.
October 31, 2009: Arkansas Joins MUSL
On October 31, 2009, Arkansas became the 33rd MUSL member.
2009: 10x Multiplier Absent
In 2009, the 10× multiplier was absent from the Power Play promotion.
January 31, 2010: Cross-Sell Expansion Date
On January 31, 2010, Mega Millions and MUSL each added lotteries during the cross-sell expansion.
March 1, 2010: Montana Lottery Joins Mega Millions
On March 1, 2010, the Montana Lottery joined Mega Millions.
March 13, 2010: New Jersey Wins Powerball Jackpot
On March 13, 2010, New Jersey became the first Mega Millions-only member to produce a jackpot-winning Powerball ticket.
March 20, 2010: Nebraska Adds Mega Millions
On March 20, 2010, Nebraska added Mega Millions.
March 28, 2010: Oregon Joins Mega Millions
On March 28, 2010, Oregon joined Mega Millions.
April 16, 2010: Ohio Lottery Adds Powerball
April 18, 2010: Arizona Joins Mega Millions
On April 18, 2010, Arizona joined Mega Millions.
May 9, 2010: Maine Adds Mega Millions
On May 9, 2010, Maine added Mega Millions.
May 2010: 10x Multiplier Returns
In May 2010, the 10× multiplier returned to Power Play after the Power Play drawing was changed to a Random Number Generator (RNG).
May 16, 2010: Colorado and South Dakota Join Mega Millions
On May 16, 2010, Colorado and South Dakota joined Mega Millions.
May 28, 2010: North Carolina Wins Mega Millions Jackpot
On May 28, 2010, North Carolina became the first MUSL member to produce a jackpot-winning Mega Millions ticket.
June 2, 2010: Ohio Wins Powerball Jackpot
On June 2, 2010, Ohio won a Powerball jackpot and became the first lottery selling both Mega Millions or Powerball in 2010 to provide a jackpot-winning ticket for its newer game.
June 12, 2010: 10x Multiplier Drawn
On June 12, 2010, the 10× multiplier was drawn after the Power Play promotion was extended.
June 23, 2010: Jackpot Shared by Ohio and Montana
On June 23, 2010, Ohio and Montana shared a Powerball jackpot.
October 2010: U.S. Virgin Islands Join Mega Millions
In October 2010, the U.S. Virgin Islands joined Mega Millions.
2010: Georgia Re-joins MUSL
Georgia rejoined MUSL in 2010 during the cross-sell expansion.
2010: Powerball Scratchcard Introduced by New York Lottery
In 2010, the New York Lottery introduced a Powerball scratchcard with a top prize of $1 million (annuity) and no cash option.
November 2011: $254.2 Million Jackpot Shared in Connecticut
In November 2011, three financial executives from Greenwich, Connecticut, shared a $254.2 million Powerball jackpot, the largest prize on a Connecticut-bought ticket. They split nearly $104 million after withholdings.
2012: Powerball changes result in fixed Power Play prizes
In 2012, changes to Powerball resulted in all eight lower-tier levels having "fixed" Power Play prizes.
2012: Changes Aimed at Larger Jackpots
In 2012, changes to Powerball were made to increase the frequency of nine-figure jackpots.
2012: Statistical and Format Changes
In 2012, changes were made that included an increase to the average jackpot win to $141 million, an increase to the starting jackpot to $20 million, and a modification to the Power Play option.
April 8, 2013: California Joins Powerball
On April 8, 2013, California joined Powerball.
May 18, 2013: $590.5 Million Jackpot Won in Florida
On May 18, 2013, a $590.5 million Powerball jackpot, then the world's largest one-ticket jackpot, was won by a ticket sold in Zephyrhills, Florida. The winner purchased a "quick pick" ticket at a Publix supermarket and chose the cash option of approximately $370.8 million.
January 19, 2014: PowerPlay Modified
On January 19, 2014, PowerPlay was modified to use 30 balls with a new distribution.
January 22, 2014: Variable Power Play Returns
On January 22, 2014, the variable Power Play option returned for multiplying non-jackpot prizes.
October 2014: Puerto Rico Joins Powerball
In October 2014, Puerto Rico joined Powerball.
October 3, 2015: Former Prizes/Odds Published
On October 3, 2015, the former prizes and odds for Powerball (from January 19, 2014 – October 3, 2015) were published.
October 4, 2015: Powerball Format Change
On October 4, 2015, the Powerball format changed with adjustments to the white-ball and Powerball pools.
October 7, 2015: Payouts Released
On October 7, 2015, new Powerball payouts were released.
2015: End of Illinois Lottery Drawings on WGN-TV
In 2015, Illinois Lottery drawings stopped airing on WGN-TV.
January 13, 2016: $1.586 Billion Jackpot Split Among Three Tickets
On January 13, 2016, a $1.586 billion Powerball jackpot, then the world's largest lottery jackpot, was split among three tickets in California, Florida, and Tennessee, each worth $528.8 million.
2016: Puerto Rico Not in Mega Millions
As of 2016, Puerto Rico had not joined Mega Millions.
August 23, 2017: $750 Million Powerball Jackpot Won in Massachusetts
On August 23, 2017, a Powerball ticket sold in Chicopee, Massachusetts, won more than $750 million, one of the largest prizes in the lottery's history. The winner was a mother of two from Massachusetts.
March 27, 2019: $768.4 Million Jackpot Won in Wisconsin
On March 27, 2019, a single ticket purchased in Wisconsin was the only winner of a $768.4 million Powerball jackpot, the third largest in U.S. lottery history. The winner was a 24-year-old Wisconsin man.
April 2, 2020: Starting Jackpot Reset Due to COVID-19
On April 2, 2020, the Powerball starting jackpot amount was temporarily reset from $40 million to $20 million due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
March 10, 2021: Idaho Legislature Votes to End Lottery Participation
On March 10, 2021, the Idaho Legislature voted to end the state's participation in Powerball.
May 23, 2021: New Draws and Double Play Option Announced
On May 23, 2021, Powerball announced that starting on August 23, 2021, draws would occur on Monday, in addition to Wednesday and Saturday, and a new Double Play option was added.
August 2021: Expansion Put on Hold
In August 2021, Powerball's move to expand operations was put on hold.
August 23, 2021: Addition of New Monday Draws
Starting on August 23, 2021, Powerball started doing draws on Mondays, in addition to Wednesdays and Saturdays.
March 16, 2022: Powerball Drawing Delay
On March 16, 2022, there was a delay in a Powerball drawing.
November 7, 2022: Record Jackpot Drawing Delayed
The scheduled November 7, 2022 drawing of the record-breaking $2.04 billion jackpot was delayed until the next day.
November 8, 2022: $2.04 Billion Jackpot Won in California
On November 8, 2022, a single ticket purchased in Altadena, California, was the only winner of a $2.04 billion Powerball jackpot, the largest in U.S. lottery history.
2022: Expansion to the United Kingdom
In 2022, Powerball expanded to the United Kingdom.
2022: Record-Breaking Jackpot
In 2022, Powerball had a record-breaking $2.1 billion jackpot which was won by a ticket purchased in Altadena, California.
February 14, 2023: Winner of the $2.04 Billion Jackpot Claimed Prize
On February 14, 2023, Edwin Castro claimed the $2.04 billion Powerball jackpot, opting for a lump sum payment of $997.6 million. He purchased the ticket at Joe's Service Center in Altadena, which received a $1 million reward.
July 19, 2023: $1.08 Billion Jackpot Won in Los Angeles
On July 19, 2023, a single ticket purchased in Los Angeles, California, was the only winner of a $1.08 billion Powerball jackpot.
October 11, 2023: $1.76 Billion Jackpot Won in California
On October 11, 2023, a single ticket purchased in Frazier Park, California, was the only winner of a $1.76 billion Powerball jackpot, the second-largest in U.S. lottery history.
Mentioned in this timeline
California is a U S state on the Pacific Coast...
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of...
Los Angeles L A is the most populous city in...
Virginia officially the Commonwealth of Virginia is a state located...
Florida a southeastern U S state boasts the longest coastline...
Massachusetts officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state located...
Trending
12 days ago Karen Khachanov Faces Juncheng Shang at ATP Shanghai; Altmaier Aims for Sinner Upset
6 months ago Mystics rookies debut at Nationals game; Amoore's future; 'Full Court Press' Season 2.
Lili Reinhart is an American actress known for her roles as Betty Cooper in the CW's Riverdale and Annabelle in...
32 minutes ago Kelly Services Recognized for Leadership in Staffing and Hiring Solutions in 2025 Rankings
3 months ago SAP's Stock Falls Amid Mixed Q2 Earnings & AI Concerns: Investor Outlook
Michael Chernus is an American actor recognized for his diverse work across film television and stage He gained prominence for...
Popular
Candace Owens is an American political commentator and author known...
Charlie Kirk is an American right-wing political activist entrepreneur and...
Paula White-Cain is a prominent American televangelist and key figure...
Chuck Schumer is the senior United States Senator from New...
XXXTentacion born Jahseh Dwayne Ricardo Onfroy was a controversial yet...
Greta Thunberg is a Swedish climate activist who gained international...