(CNN Spanish) — The Powerball jackpot has increased $1.9 billion, This makes it the largest in its history. If you are thinking of buying a ticket, remember that these are the numbers you need to win.
First, a review of how the popular United States lottery works: you have to pick five numbers from 1 to 69 for the white balls, and one from 1 to 26 for the red Powerball (you can pick them on a ballot, or the lottery terminal you go to will pick them at random).
To win the jackpot, match five numbers on the white balls and one on the red ball Powerball. According to the lottery, the odds are slightly less than one in 292 million.
(If someone wins the jackpot, they can choose between receiving 30 payments over 29 years or a single payment, according to a Powerball press release. The cash value of the prize is about $929 million.)
Matching all the numbers is not the only way to get the prize. There are other combinations of three and two balls here, and one option, which will give you a reward, albeit infinitely less.
- Match three numbers on the white balls and you get $7. The odds are roughly one in 579.
- Match the two numbers on the white balls and the number on the red Powerball and you’ll win a $7 prize. That’s less than 1 in 701.
- If you hit a white ball and a powerball you win $4. The odds of hitting this prize are significantly higher: approximately 1 in 92.
- You win $4 if you match the Powerball. This is the prize you can win (1 of 38).
This means if you get 1 or 2 white balls but miss the red powerball you won’t get rewarded.
An important clarification to a frequently asked question: The order in which you pick the numbers on the white balls must not match the order in which they were drawn in order to win. If you match enough numbers to claim the prize, you will do so regardless of the order factor.
If you’re in the US but don’t live there, you can try your luck too, remember: you don’t have to be a US citizen or resident to play Powerball.
The odds of winning a prize are the same in all draws, regardless of the value of the jackpot and the number of tickets sold.