Powerball prize tiers Updated 3 Nov 2026
What Is the Prize for Matching One Number on Powerball?
Powerball draws 5 white numbers from 69 and 1 Powerball from a separate pool of 26. Matching one number can mean two different things, and only one of them pays. Match the Powerball itself and you win a prize, even with no white numbers. Match one white number without the Powerball and you win nothing.
The smallest prizes are the ones most lines win, so they are worth understanding. They also show how a lottery is built: the low tiers come up often but return only a fraction of the stake on average, and no way of choosing numbers changes the odds of any tier.
A Powerball line is 5 white numbers from a pool of 69, plus 1 Powerball from a pool of 26. One line costs 2 USD.
- Powerball only: a fixed prize
- One white number alone: no prize
- Every combination has the same chance each draw
The jackpot, by contrast
The chance of matching all 5 white numbers and the Powerball in one draw, by number of lines held.
Taken on its own, the Powerball-only prize is worth about 10 cents per $2 line on average: $4 divided by 38.32. Together, the two $4 tiers come up about once in every 27 lines.
The same arithmetic applied to every tier, jackpot included, comes to less than the price of a line. That gap is how lotteries fund their running costs and good causes, and it is why playing more does not make playing pay.
- 1 line 1 in 292,201,338
- 10 lines 1 in 29,220,134
- 50 lines 1 in 5,844,027
- 100 lines 1 in 2,922,013
- 500 lines 1 in 584,403
| Lines | Group odds of the jackpot | Against one line |
|---|---|---|
| 1 line | 1 in 292,201,338 | 1× as likely |
| 10 lines | 1 in 29,220,134 | 10× as likely |
| 50 lines | 1 in 5,844,027 | 50× as likely |
| 100 lines | 1 in 2,922,013 | 100× as likely |
| 500 lines | 1 in 584,403 | 500× as likely |
One Powerball line has jackpot odds of 1 in 292,201,338. Different lines add their chances; a shared prize is split by share.
What one matching number pays
Base prizes for a single line without Power Play, from the official prize tiers.
Powerball only
Match the Powerball and none of the white numbers. The prize is $4, at odds of 1 in 38.32 per line.
One white number and the Powerball
Match the Powerball and 1 white number. The prize is also $4, at odds of 1 in 91.98 per line.
One white number alone
No prize. Every Powerball prize tier needs the Powerball, or at least 3 white numbers without it.
Against the cost of a line
A line costs $2, so either $4 prize pays back twice the stake. Most lines win nothing at all.
Small Powerball prizes: what to check
Details that decide what a one-number win is actually worth.
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Note
Power Play
Power Play costs $1 more per line and multiplies non-jackpot prizes by a number drawn for that draw, not one you choose. It also raises the cost of every line, winning or not.
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Note
Draw days
Draws are on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday. Each draw is independent, so a number drawn last time is no more or less likely next time.
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Note
Claim deadlines
Small prizes still expire. The state or seller you bought from sets the claim period, so check it on the ticket or in your account.
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Note
Where prizes are paid
Small prizes are usually paid by any retailer for the lottery that sold the ticket, or credited to your account when you play online.
Matching one number on Powerball: common questions
Do you win anything with just the Powerball?
Yes. Matching only the Powerball, with no white numbers, pays $4 for a standard line. The odds are 1 in 38.32 per line.
Do you win anything with one white number?
Not on its own. One white number pays only if you also match the Powerball, in which case the prize is $4 at odds of 1 in 91.98. Without the Powerball you need at least 3 white numbers to win anything.
Does Power Play change the one-number prize?
Yes, if you paid for it. Power Play multiplies non-jackpot prizes, including the $4 tiers, by the multiplier drawn for that draw. It costs extra on every line, so it raises your spend as well as any small prize.
Can I improve my chances of matching the Powerball?
No. Every Powerball number has the same chance in every draw, and past results have no effect on the next one. Patterns, hot or cold numbers and frequency charts do not change the odds. Holding more lines covers more numbers but costs proportionally more. See lotto winning odds.
Is it worth playing for the small prizes?
On average, no. The $4 prizes come up often, but across all lines they return less than the $2 a line costs. Play only with money you are ready to lose, and see our responsible gambling page for setting limits.
Where can I check Powerball results?
On our results pages or the official Powerball site. Our Powerball guide covers the full rules and every prize tier. For the latest draw, open the Powerball results.
Set the spend before you pick the numbers.
Most lottery lines win nothing. Decide a monthly amount you can lose, and use the deposit limits on the site you play at.