Powerball is coming to the UK this week, offering players the chance to compete for jackpots that can balloon into billions. The UK version, operated by Allwyn, will launch with tickets on sale from Tuesday and the first draw scheduled for Thursday. UK players will pay £4 per line to compete with participants in the US for shared jackpots, which are paid out over 30 years. The current US Powerball jackpot is estimated at $416 million (£311 million).
Game Details and Prize Tiers
This is the first time Powerball has operated outside the US. The UK game features uncapped jackpots starting at £12 million. In addition to the standard prize tiers, UK players have an exclusive “match two main numbers” tier offering a fixed prize of £8. The “match five main numbers” tier also offers a fixed prize of £1 million. All other UK prize tiers will vary depending on the balls drawn and the number of winners.
Allwyn chief executive Andria Vidler said: “We’re excited to give National Lottery players the chance to dream bigger while supporting thousands of good cause projects across the UK every week. Powerball jackpots can soar into the billions, offering breathtaking sums with the potential to transform lives and communities. We’re encouraging players to get involved when tickets go on sale and we’ll be crossing our fingers for our first UK winner.”
Changes to the Main Lotto Game
The launch follows recent updates to the main Lotto game. Each line now enters players into two draws, with two sets of six main balls and a bonus ball drawn using two separate machines. A player could win in round one, round two, or both rounds from a single Lotto line. The price remains at £2 per line, and there are still 59 balls. However, prizes for matching lower sets of numbers have been reduced. Matching three balls now wins £10 instead of £30, four balls wins £50 instead of £140, and five balls wins £1,000 instead of £1,750. Matching two balls now wins £1 instead of a free lucky dip.
National Lottery Sales and Good Causes
Latest figures from Allwyn show total National Lottery sales, including lottery tickets bought in shops, came in at £8.1 billion in 2025, up 3.5% on the previous year. More than £1.7 billion was generated for good causes, which incorporates funding for health, education, arts, sports heritage, and charitable causes, and £967 million was raised in taxes.
