$194M Powerball jackpot up for grabs on Wednesday, April 1
$194M Powerball jackpot up for grabs on Wednesday, April 1
Fernando Cervantes Jr., USA TODAYThu, April 2, 2026 at 1:00 AM UTC
0
$194M Powerball jackpot up for grabs on Wednesday, April 1
The Powerball jackpot climbed to $194 million with a cash value of $87.1 million ahead of the Wednesday, April 1, drawing.
According to Powerball, the jackpot has been hit almost 200 times since the lottery's inception in 1992. As of today, 48 U.S. lotteries participate in the Powerball game, with five states not offering it: Alabama, Alaska, Hawaii, Nevada, and Utah.
The odds of winning the jackpot are about 1 in 292 million, but smaller prizes are far more common — with overall odds of winning any prize at about 1 in 25. The five states with the most Powerball winners include: Indiana, Missouri, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.
1 / 0See Powerball and Mega Millions winners who hit the jackpotTennessee Lottery CEO Rebecca Paul, left, walks with an excited Janis Goodwin, middle and Frances Davenport as they prepare to pick up their million-dollar Powerball check at the lottery headquarters in Nashville on Oct. 3, 2005.
Though Wednesday's Powerball drawing falls on April Fools' Day, the jackpot prize is very much real. Here is what you .
What are the winning numbers for the April 1 Powerball?
USA TODAY will post the winning numbers after the lottery drawing at 11 p.m. ET.
Feeling lucky: Which Powerball numbers should you pick?
Do you have to be a U.S. citizen or resident to play Powerball?
The short answer is no.
A person does not have to be a U.S. citizen or U.S. resident to play Powerball. When visiting one of the 45 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, anyone, regardless of nationality, can purchase lottery tickets from an authorized and licensed retailer, if they meet the legal age requirement at the point of purchase — usually 18 years old.
Advertisement
Top 10 Powerball Jackpots -
$2.040 billion on Nov. 7, 2022, in California
$1.817 billion on Dec. 24, 2025, in Arkansas
$1.787 billion on Sept. 6, 2025, in Missouri and Texas
$1.765 billion on Oct. 11, 2023, in California
$1.586 billion on Jan. 13, 2016, in California, Florida, and Tennessee
$1.326 billion on April 6, 2024, in Oregon
$1.080 billion on July 19, 2023, in California
$842.4 million on Jan. 1, 2024, in Michigan
$768.4 million on Mar. 27, 2019, in Wisconsin
$758.7 million on Aug. 23, 2017, in Massachusetts
States with the most lottery winners: What you .
How to play Powerball
Powerball tickets are $2 per play and are sold in 45 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. You can do this at a variety of locations, including a local convenience store, gas station, or even grocery store.
In some states, Powerball tickets can be bought online depending on local jurisdiction.
Once you have your ticket, you need to pick six numbers. Five of them will be white balls numbered 1 to 69. The red Powerball ranges from 1 to 26. People can also add a “Power Play” for $1, which increases the winning for all non-jackpot prizes.
The "Power Play" multiplier can multiply winnings by: 2X, 3X, 4X, 5X, or 10X.
If you want the computer to select the numbers, the "Quick Pick" option is available, as well. To win the jackpot, players must match all five white balls in any order and the red Powerball.
Powerball drawings are held on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday nights. If no one wins the jackpot, the cash prize will keep ticking up.
Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach him at fernando.cervantes@gannett.com and follow him on X @fern_cerv_.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Powerball jackpot rises to $194 million for April 1 drawing
Source: “AOL Money”
