Powerball Gets Launch Date For UK Players
Last Updated: Monday 6th July 2026, 13:14
UK lottery fans have finally discovered the date when they will be able to buy tickets for Powerball, and there is not much longer to wait!
The National Lottery has announced that tickets will go on sale on Tuesday 21st July. You will be able to play online via the website or app, or in-store at any authorised retailer.
Powerball may not be well-known in the UK, but it can justifiably be regarded as the biggest lottery in the world as it has regularly put up jackpots in excess of $1 billion in recent years. It was announced back in April that National Lottery operator Allwyn had struck a deal with the Powerball Product Group to offer a version of the game, and the launch date has now been confirmed.
How Powerball Works
Until now, Powerball has been a USA-based lottery. Played in 45 states, Washington D.C., the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico, its large pool of players allows jackpots to grow quickly from its starting point of $20 million.
Draws take place every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday evening in Tallahassee, Florida, which is around 4am in the UK every Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday. Ticket sales in the UK will close at 11:55pm on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday ahead of the draws a few hours later.
To take part, you must pick five numbers from 1 to 69, plus one Powerball number between 1 and 26. You win prizes by matching the numbers you have picked to the numbers that are drawn, and the UK will have its own prize structure that differs slightly from the U.S. version.
If you match all the numbers and win the jackpot, this will be paid out in the UK as an annuity over 30 years. You may not receive hundreds of millions (or even become a billionaire) instantly, but you get a guaranteed income for the next three decades!
Tickets will cost £4 per line, and you can play up to four weeks in advance.
How the Jackpot is Looking Now
The first draw after tickets go on sale in the UK will take place in the early hours of Thursday 23rd July, so it is approaching quickly. You can keep an eye on the progress of the jackpot before that date by checking the Powerball Results page
The jackpot has been building since it was last won on 2nd May, and currently stands at $416 million (approximately £311 million). That is larger than any EuroMillions or Lotto jackpot there has ever been, and it may be significantly higher by the time Powerball arrives in the UK if nobody else wins before then.
Once the UK joins, jackpots are expected to climb even more quickly as more tickets will be sold and more money will be added to the prize pot. Start thinking about which numbers you’ll want to play now!
When do you think the UK will crown its first winner? Will there be a long wait or could it happen immediately? England’s football team have already enjoyed some success on the other side of the Atlantic this summer and, with Powerball tickets going on sale a couple of days after the World Cup final, could there be another big win in the USA?