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 drawn three times a week, on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays at 10:59 p.m. Eastern Time. The drawings take place at the Florida Lottery headquarters in Tallahassee.

1987: WFLD takes rights from WGN-TV

In 1987, Fox owned-and-operated station WFLD in Chicago took the broadcast rights of Illinois Lottery drawings from WGN-TV.

1988: Mike Pace hosts MUSL drawings

In 1988, Mike Pace began hosting MUSL drawings when Lotto America began.

1988: Lotto America Begins

In 1988, Powerball's predecessor, Lotto America, was launched as a multi-state game.

1988: WFLD acquires rights from WGN-TV

In 1988, WFLD acquired broadcast rights from Chicago's Fox owned-and-operated station WFLD in 1988.

1990: Maine joins MUSL

In 1990, Maine joined MUSL.

April 19, 1992: Powerball Name Change

On April 19, 1992, Lotto America was changed to Powerball.

1992: Introduction of Two Drums

In 1992, Powerball became the first game to use two drums to draw numbers, a concept suggested by Steve Caputo of the Oregon Lottery.

1992: WGN-TV Aired Drawings

In 1992, WGN-TV started to air Illinois Lottery drawings nationally.

August 1996: Georgia Leaves Powerball and joins The Big Game

In August 1996, Georgia left Powerball and joined The Big Game.

November 2, 1997: Annuity Change and Cash Option

On November 2, 1997, the annuity was changed from 20 to 25 yearly payments and the cash option was added.

1997: Cash Option Introduced

In 1997, the cash option was introduced to Powerball, initially requiring all players to choose between cash or annuity when playing.

1998: Florida Given Permission to Participate

In 1998, Florida was given permission by its government to participate in a multi-state game such as Powerball.

1999: Cash Option Regulation Phased Out

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

1999: Machine Model Change and Cash Option Regulation Phase-out

In 1999, Powerball switched its drawing machine model to the Halogen, manufactured by Smartplay International, replacing the Criterion. Also, by 1999, the regulation requiring all Powerball players to choose between cash or annuity options when playing, which was introduced in 1997, was phased out.

1999: Florida Prevented From Joining

In early 1999, Florida's new governor, Jeb Bush, prevented Florida from joining Powerball.

March 7, 2001: Power Play Added

On March 7, 2001, an optional multiplier called Power Play was added, allowing players to multiply non-jackpot winnings by up to five by paying an extra $1 per game.

2001: Power Play Introduced

In 2001, the Power Play option was introduced to the Powerball lottery.

2001: Power Play Introduction with Special Wheel

In 2001, when Power Play was first introduced to Powerball, the multiplier was drawn using a special wheel.

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 a new record for a single ticket in an American lottery at the time. The winner chose the cash option of $170 million and received approximately $83 million after withholdings.

2002: Comparison of Cash Payouts

In 2005, the cash payout was smaller than a previous winner's cash payout in 2002 due to a recent change in the annuity structure.

March 30, 2005: 110 Second-Prize Winners in Powerball Drawing

The Powerball drawing on March 30, 2005, resulted in 110 second-prize winners. The total payout was $19.4 million, with 89 winners receiving $100,000 each and 21 winners receiving $500,000 each due to being 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 before withholdings.

2005: Mega Millions 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, shared by eight meatpacking plant employees. The group chose the cash option of approximately $177.3 million before withholdings.

2006: Addition of 10x Space on Power Play Wheel

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

2006: Slot Machines Released Under Powerball Brand

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

August 25, 2007: $314 Million Jackpot Won in Indiana

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

2007: Continued Use of 10x Space and Monthly Promotion

In 2007, MUSL continued using the Power Play wheel with the 10x space, and during each month-long promotion, they guaranteed at least one drawing with the 10x multiplier.

2007: Oregon Lottery Releases Windows Sidebar Gadget

In 2007, the Oregon Lottery released a Windows Sidebar gadget that displays the winning numbers for Powerball in real-time and provides large jackpot announcements.

2008: Florida Allowed to Join MUSL

In 2008, Governor Charlie Crist allowed Florida to join MUSL.

2008: 10x Multiplier Promotion Returns

In 2008, the 10x multiplier promotion returned, with the ball landing on the 10x space twice during Powerball drawings.

2008: Drawings at Screenscape Studios

Through 2008, Powerball drawings usually were held 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: Absence of 10x Multiplier

In 2009, the 10x multiplier was absent from the Power Play promotion.

January 31, 2010: Cross-Sell Expansion

On January 31, 2010, the date of the cross-sell expansion, Mega Millions and MUSL each added lotteries.

March 1, 2010: Montana Lottery Joins Mega Millions

On March 1, 2010, the Montana Lottery joined Mega Millions.

March 13, 2010: New Jersey Produces Jackpot-Winning Powerball Ticket

On March 13, 2010, New Jersey became the first previous Mega Millions-only member to produce a jackpot-winning Powerball ticket, worth over $211 million in annuity payments, and it was sold in Morris Plains.

March 20, 2010: Nebraska Adds Mega Millions

On March 20, 2010, Nebraska added Mega Millions.

March 28, 2010: Oregon Adds Mega Millions

On March 28, 2010, Oregon added Mega Millions.

April 16, 2010: Ohio Lottery Adds Powerball

On April 16, 2010, the Ohio Lottery added 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 with RNG

In May 2010, the 10x multiplier returned to the Power Play promotion, 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 Produces Jackpot-Winning Mega Millions Ticket

On May 28, 2010, North Carolina became the first previous MUSL member to produce a jackpot-winning Mega Millions ticket, with a jackpot of $12 million.

June 2, 2010: Ohio Wins Powerball Jackpot

On June 2, 2010, Ohio won a Powerball jackpot, becoming the first lottery selling either Mega Millions or Powerball to provide a jackpot-winning ticket for its newer game. The ticket was worth a $261 million annuity and was sold in Sunbury.

June 12, 2010: Promotion Extended for 10x Multiplier

On June 12, 2010, the 10x multiplier was drawn, leading to the promotion being extended for the only time. The second prize 5x guarantee continued, and the 10x multiplier applied to all non-jackpot prizes, similar to previous promotions.

June 23, 2010: Shared Jackpot with Montana

On June 23, 2010, Ohio's second Powerball jackpot-winning ticket was sold, and Montana also provided a jackpot winner, marking the first time a jackpot was shared through lotteries which sold competing games before the cross-selling expansion.

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 re-joined 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).

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, which was the largest prize on a Connecticut-bought ticket at the time. They split nearly $104 million after withholdings.

January 15, 2012: Price Increase and Format Changes

On January 15, 2012, the price of each basic Powerball play doubled to $2, the minimum jackpot doubled to $40 million, a non-jackpot play matching the five white balls won $1 million, and the drawings were moved from Universal Studios Orlando to Tallahassee.

2012: Powerball Changes Resulting in Fixed Power Play Prizes

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

2012: Drawings Move to Florida

In 2012, as a condition for Florida joining Powerball, the live drawings were moved from Iowa to Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida. Also in 2012, a random number generator replaced the Power Play multiplier wheel.

2012: Changes to Increase Jackpot Frequency

In 2012, changes were made to increase the frequency of nine-figure jackpots, with hopes for a $500 million jackpot and a $1 billion jackpot. Less than three months after the Powerball changes, Mega Millions' jackpot reached $656,000,000.

2012: Format Change

In 2012, multiple changes were implemented, statistical projections increased the average jackpot win, additional prizes were expected to be won yearly, the starting jackpot increased, the jackpot contribution increased, the Power Play option was modified, and the bonus second prize was eliminated.

April 8, 2013: California Joins Powerball

On April 8, 2013, California joined Powerball; it has never offered the Power Play option.

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

On May 18, 2013, the world's largest one-ticket Powerball jackpot at the time, approximately $590.5 million, was won by a ticket sold in Zephyrhills, Florida. The winner chose the cash option of approximately $370.8 million before Federal withholding.

January 19, 2014: PowerPlay Modified

On January 19, 2014, PowerPlay was modified and used 30 balls with a new distribution.

January 22, 2014: Power Play Option 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 Listed

Former prizes and odds between January 19, 2014 and October 3, 2015 were listed.

October 4, 2015: Powerball Format Change

On October 4, 2015, the Powerball format changed again. The white-ball pool increased from 59 to 69 and the Powerball pool decreased from 35 to 26. The 4+1 prize became $50,000 and the 10x PowerPlay became available in drawings with a jackpot of under $150 million.

October 7, 2015: Payouts Updated

Payouts as of October 7, 2015 were published.

2015: WGN-TV Stops Airing Lottery Drawings

In 2015, WGN-TV stopped airing Illinois Lottery drawings nationally.

January 13, 2016: World's Largest Lottery Jackpot Split Among Three Tickets

On January 13, 2016, the world's largest lottery Powerball jackpot at the time, approximately $1.586 billion, was split among three tickets in Chino Hills, California, Melbourne Beach, Florida, and Munford, Tennessee. Each ticket was worth $528.8 million.

2016: Puerto Rico Still Not in Mega Millions

As of 2016, Puerto Rico had not joined Mega Millions.

August 23, 2017: More than $750 Million Prize Won in Massachusetts

On August 23, 2017, a Powerball ticket sold in Chicopee, Massachusetts, won more than $750 million. A mother of two from Massachusetts was the lucky winner.

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 winner was a 24-year-old Wisconsin man.

2019: Consideration of Random Number Generator in Florida

In 2019, the Florida Lottery considered switching to a random number generator for its in-state drawings, although it's unknown whether Powerball was affected by this consideration.

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 with the annuity option due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States.

March 10, 2021: Idaho Legislature Votes to End Powerball Participation

On March 10, 2021, the Idaho Legislature voted to end the state's participation in Powerball, citing fears of domestic revenue being used by other governments.

May 23, 2021: New Monday Drawings and Double Play Option Announced

On May 23, 2021, Powerball announced that starting on August 23, 2021, draws would occur on Mondays, and a new Double Play option was added.

August 2021: Expansion put on Hold

In August 2021, The removal would have taken place when non-US jurisdictions were allowed to join in August 2021, but was rendered moot when the expansion was put on hold.

August 23, 2021: Implementation of Monday Drawings and Double Play

Starting on August 23, 2021, Powerball draws would occur on Mondays, in addition to Wednesdays and Saturdays, and a new Double Play option was added.

March 16, 2022: Delay of Scheduled drawing

On March 16, 2022, one of several scheduled Powerball drawings was delayed

November 7, 2022: Record-Breaking Jackpot Drawing Delayed

On November 7, 2022, the scheduled drawing of the record-breaking $2.04 billion jackpot was delayed due to incomplete security protocols regarding ticket sales at an unnamed lottery.

November 8, 2022: $2.04 Billion Jackpot Won in California

On November 8, 2022, a single ticket purchased in Altadena, California, won a $2.04 billion Powerball jackpot, which was the largest in U.S. lottery history.

2022: Potential Expansion in the United Kingdom

In 2022, Powerball planned to expand its operations in the United Kingdom, but this was put on hold.

2022: Record-Breaking Jackpot

In 2022, Powerball was known for producing some of the largest lottery jackpots in history, including the record-breaking $2.1 billion jackpot that was won by a ticket purchased in Altadena, California.

February 14, 2023: Winner Claims $2.04 Billion Jackpot

On February 14, 2023, Edwin Castro claimed the $2.04 billion Powerball jackpot as 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 California

On July 19, 2023, a single ticket purchased in Los Angeles, California, won 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, won a $1.76 billion Powerball jackpot, the second-largest in U.S. lottery history.