History of Powerball in Timeline

Powerball is a lottery game available in 45 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Overseen by the Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL), it's known for its large jackpots, sharing the spotlight with games like Mega Millions. Drawings occur three times a week on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays at 10:59 p.m. Eastern Time, taking place at the Florida Lottery headquarters in Tallahassee.

1997: Cash Option Introduced

In 1997, the cash option was introduced, requiring all Powerball players to make a choice when playing.

1999: Cash Option Regulation Phased Out

By 1999, the regulation requiring all Powerball players to choose cash or annuity when playing was phased out.

2001: Power Play Begins

In 2001, Power Play began and was drawn with a special wheel.

December 25, 2002: $314.9 Million Jackpot Won

On December 25, 2002, a construction firm president in Putnam County, West Virginia, won a $314.9 million jackpot.

2002: Cash Payout Comparison

In 2002, a previous winner's cash payout was larger compared to a more recent winner on October 19, 2005, 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.

October 19, 2005: $340 Million Jackpot Won

On October 19, 2005, a family from Jacksonville, Oregon, won a $340 million jackpot.

February 18, 2006: $365 Million Jackpot Won

On February 18, 2006, a $365 million jackpot was won by one ticket in Nebraska, shared by eight meatpacking plant workers.

2006: MUSL Replaces Spaces on Power Play Wheel

In 2006, MUSL replaced one of the 5x spaces on the Power Play wheel with a 10x.

2006: Slot Machines Released

In 2006, WMS Gaming released a range of slot machines under the Powerball brand name.

August 25, 2007: $314 Million Jackpot Won

On August 25, 2007, a $314 million jackpot was won by a retired auto worker from Ohio with a ticket bought in Richmond, Indiana.

2007: MUSL Replaces Spaces on Power Play Wheel

In 2007, MUSL replaced one of the 5x spaces on the Power Play wheel with a 10x.

2007: Windows Sidebar Gadget Released

In 2007, the Oregon Lottery released a Windows Sidebar gadget displaying winning numbers in real-time.

2008: 10x Multiplier Promotion Returns

In 2008, the 10x multiplier promotion returned and the ball landed in the 10x space twice.

2009: 10x Multiplier Absent

In 2009, the 10x multiplier was absent.

May 2010: 10x Multiplier Returns

In May 2010, the 10x multiplier returned to the Power Play drawing after it was changed to RNG.

June 12, 2010: 10x Multiplier Drawn

On June 12, 2010, the 10x multiplier was drawn after being extended (the promotion) for the only time.

2010: Powerball Scratchcard Introduced

In 2010, the New York Lottery introduced a Powerball scratchcard with a top prize of $1 million.

November 2011: $254.2 Million Jackpot Shared

In November 2011, three financial executives from Greenwich, Connecticut shared a $254.2 million jackpot.

2012: Powerball Changes

In 2012, the Powerball changes resulted in all eight lower-tier levels having "fixed" Power Play prizes.

May 18, 2013: World's Largest One-Ticket Jackpot Won

On May 18, 2013, a Powerball ticket sold in Zephyrhills, Florida, won the world's largest one-ticket jackpot at the time, approximately $590.5 million.