The PowerBall Number Explained: How It Changes the Odds
PowerBall isn’t just another set of main numbers. The extra PowerBall number, often called the bonus ball, is what gives the game its long jackpot odds and its extra prize levels. This guide explains how it works, shows the exact odds of every combination, and checks what real PowerBall draws show about it.
The short version
- The PowerBall number is drawn separately from the main numbers, from a smaller range (1 to 20 in our records).
- It multiplies the jackpot odds by 20: from 1 in 2,118,760 for the main numbers alone to 1 in 42,375,200 for the full jackpot.
- It also affects the smaller prize levels, because matching it is far more likely than matching the main numbers. The official rules set which combinations pay.
- It’s random and independent each draw, so no PowerBall number is ever “due”.
What is the PowerBall number?
A PowerBall draw has two parts. First, 5 main numbers are drawn from 1 to 50. Then one extra number, the PowerBall number, is drawn from a separate, smaller range, which in our records runs from 1 to 20. On your ticket you choose the main numbers and a PowerBall number to match.
It’s often called the bonus ball, but that can be confusing, because in other games a bonus ball is drawn from the same set as the main numbers. Here it’s drawn on its own, which is what makes it behave differently.
How it changes the odds
Matching the five main numbers alone is a 1 in 2,118,760 chance. For the full jackpot you also need the PowerBall number, which is a 1 in 20 chance on its own. Because the two are independent, the chances multiply:
1 in 2,118,760 (main numbers) × 20 (PowerBall number) = 1 in 42,375,200 for the jackpot.
The PowerBall number does the opposite for smaller prizes. Because there are only 20 possibilities, matching it by itself is a 1 in 20 chance, which is why games of this kind can have prize levels that involve matching it with few or no main numbers. Which combinations pay, and how much, is set by the official rules. Our guide to prize divisions explains how divisions work.
The chance of every combination
This table shows the chance of matching exactly that many main numbers, with and without the PowerBall number, using one ticket:
| Main numbers matched | …and the PowerBall number matched | …and the PowerBall number not matched |
|---|---|---|
| 5 of 5 | 1 in 42,375,200 | 1 in 2,230,274 |
| 4 of 5 | 1 in 188,334 | 1 in 9,912 |
| 3 of 5 | 1 in 4,280 | 1 in 225 |
| 2 of 5 | 1 in 299 | 1 in 15.7 |
| 1 of 5 | 1 in 56.9 | 1 in 3.0 |
| 0 of 5 | 1 in 34.7 | 1 in 1.8 |
The PowerBall number range (1 to 20) comes from the highest PowerBall number recorded in our archive of 168 draws, so confirm it with the operator. This table shows how likely each combination is, not which ones pay a prize, which the official rules set. See lottery odds explained for how these are worked out.
What our PowerBall draws show
We can check how the PowerBall number behaves in the 168 draws in our archive.
Is it drawn separately from the main numbers?
If the PowerBall number came from the same set as the main numbers, it could never match one of them. In our records, it did in 18 of 168 draws (10.7%). If it’s drawn separately, chance predicts about 10.0%, because each of the 5 main numbers has a 5-in-50 chance of coinciding with a given PowerBall number. That’s consistent with a separate draw.
How often has each PowerBall number come up?
The chart shows how many times each number from 1 to 20 was drawn. The dashed line is the expected count (8.4), and the shaded band is the normal range around it:
20 of the 20 numbers fall inside the normal range, and you’d expect roughly 95% of them to. Some numbers are always drawn more than others in any finite set of draws, and chance explains the gap.
Does the PowerBall number repeat?
If each draw is independent, the PowerBall number should match the previous draw’s PowerBall number about 1 time in 20 (5.0%). In our archive it did in 6 of 167 consecutive pairs (3.6%). A number appearing twice in a row is just what chance produces, and it says nothing about the next draw. See why every lottery draw is independent.
These are counts from past draws in our archive. They describe what happened and aren’t a forecast.
What the PowerBall number means for you
- Check it on every ticket. It can change which prize you’ve won.
- No number is better. Every PowerBall number has the same chance, so choose however you like.
- It isn’t “due”. A PowerBall number that hasn’t come up for a while has the same chance as any other.
- Longer jackpot odds mean bigger rollovers. That’s part of how PowerBall jackpots grow, but a bigger jackpot isn’t better odds. Our PowerBall vs Lotto comparison looks at the difference.
Playing sensibly
A lottery ticket is entertainment with a cost, not a way to earn money. The long jackpot odds mean most tickets win nothing, so set a fixed budget you’re happy to lose, never chase losses and never borrow to play. If gambling is affecting you or someone close to you, free and confidential help is available from the National Responsible Gambling Programme on 0800 006 008 (please double-check the number on their official website). Read our responsible play page
Frequently asked questions
What is the PowerBall number?
It’s an extra number drawn separately from the main numbers, from its own, smaller range. It’s sometimes called the bonus ball, though “PowerBall number” is the more accurate name. How it counts towards each prize is set by the official rules.
Does the PowerBall number make PowerBall harder to win?
It makes the jackpot harder to win, because you need the PowerBall number as well as all the main numbers. It also adds extra prize levels for matching it.
Can the PowerBall number be the same as one of the main numbers?
Yes. It’s drawn separately, so it can match one of the main numbers. Our draw records show this happening about as often as chance predicts.
Is a particular PowerBall number due?
No. The PowerBall number is drawn independently each time, so each number in its range has the same chance whatever came before.
Should I pick a PowerBall number differently from the main numbers?
No. Every PowerBall number has the same chance, so choose however you enjoy, or use Quick Pick.
Where can I see the PowerBall number for each draw?
On our PowerBall results page, which shows the main numbers and the PowerBall number for the latest draw and every earlier one in our archive. Always confirm results on the official channels.
Related guides
- PowerBall results and draw history
- PowerBall statistics
- PowerBall vs Lotto: how the two games compare
- Lottery prize divisions explained
- Lottery odds explained
- South African lottery results and ticket checker
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