Britons will soon have the opportunity to compete for a massive £1 billion prize in the upcoming lottery draw. Allwyn, the operator of the National Lottery, has announced that tickets for the UK version of the renowned American Powerball game will go on sale starting July 21, with the draw scheduled for July 23.
This new game is anticipated to generate approximately £1 billion for charitable causes in the UK within its initial five years. The inclusion of the UK in the Powerball game marks the first time it has expanded beyond the US, following the launch of the pan-European Euromillions draw back in 2004.
Tickets priced at £4 per line will be purchasable online or in-store until 11:55 pm the night before each draw, which occurs on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays. Draws will be conducted around 4 am the following morning, hosted from the Powerball studio in Florida.
Participants will need to select five main numbers ranging from 1 to 69 and one Powerball number from 1 to 26, or they can opt for a Lucky Dip. The UK game introduces unique features such as a “match two main numbers” prize tier exclusive to UK players, offering a fixed £8 prize, and a “match five main numbers” tier with a fixed prize of £1 million.
To secure a jackpot of at least £12 million, players must match all five main numbers along with the Powerball. Unlike other lotteries, there is no limit to the number of rollovers, allowing the jackpot to escalate exponentially.
Allwyn highlights the potential for a UK player to win an unprecedented £1 billion jackpot, although the odds of achieving this feat stand at one in 292 million. Unlike traditional lottery payouts, winners of the top Powerball prize will receive the amount over a 30-year period.
In case of winning the colossal £1 billion, the annual payout would exceed £30 million for three decades. Any remaining amount upon the winner’s demise will be passed on to their estate, as stated by an Allwyn spokesperson.
The largest Powerball winner to date, Edwin Castro, claimed just over $2 billion on the California state lottery in November 2022. Castro, who chose a lump-sum payment, used his winnings to acquire luxury properties, vehicles, and travel experiences.
Andria Vidler, CEO of Allwyn, expressed enthusiasm for the launch of the Powerball game in the UK, emphasizing the potential to support numerous charitable projects while offering life-changing jackpot prizes. The company is gearing up for a major launch to promote ticket sales and is optimistic about crowning the first UK Powerball winner.