The Powerball lottery jackpot prize reached historic levels on Wednesday, Aug. 27, after reaching an estimated $850 million. The milestone marks it as the sixth largest of all time.
Floridians who want to get in on Wednesday night’s drawing can purchase tickets at any Florida Lottery retailer until 10 p.m. ET.
Not sure where to purchase a Florida Lottery ticket or how to play? Here’s everything you need to know.
Where can I buy Powerball tickets in Florida?
While some states allow you to purchase Powerball tickets online, Florida residents must purchase them from one of the 13,000+ authorized retailers. These tend to be gas stations, convenience stores and even grocery stores like Publix.
The best way to find the closest retailer near you is by using the Florida Lottery’s “Where to Play” tool on its website. The page will ask you to enter your zip code and give you a few options regarding the search radius.
How do I buy a Powerball ticket?
In most cases throughout Florida, you’ll go up to the cashier and ask to purchase a ticket. There are 11 Florida Lottery draw games, so you’ll want to make sure you specify that you want to buy a Powerball ticket. You will likely need to head to the customer service desk if you’re purchasing a ticket from a grocery store.
There are two types of Powerball tickets: A regular ticket where you pick the numbers and a “Quick Pick,” where the numbers are randomly generated.
For “Quick Pick,” say this: “I’d like a quick pick Powerball ticket.” Then, tell the cashier whether you want the multiplier or “Power Play.”
To pick your own numbers, say this: “I’d like a Powerball ticket and I will pick my numbers.”
How do I play the Powerball?
Here is how to play the Powerball:
Mark your panels — Choose between any of the five panels (A-E) and select five numbers from 1 through 69 by filling them in. Underneath your chosen panel, you’ll choose your Powerball number from 1 through 26. You should have six numbers selected in total.
For Quick Pick: You can mark the QP box in either panel, which will be the box following the final number.
Pick your add-ons — You can choose to “power play” for an extra $1, which will multiply all non-grand prize winnings by a factor of 2, 3, 4, 5 or 10. You can also “double play,” for another extra $1, which allows you to select jurisdictions an extra chance to match Powerball numbers in a separate drawing, which occurs after the regular Powerball drawing.
Submit your ticket — Once you have made all of your choices, you will submit the play slip to the retailer who will provide you register the slip and print out your official ticket. The ticket will have your numbers, draw date and any add-ons you chose. It’s also your key to claiming any prize you win, so hold onto it in a safe space.
A sample Powerball play slip.
How much do Powerball tickets cost?
A Powerball ticket is $2 per play. You can also choose the “power play” and “double play” add-ons, which are an extra $1 each.
Can I buy a Powerball ticket with my credit or debit card in Florida?
In Florida, cash is the safest option to purchase a lottery ticket because every retailer will accept it. Retailers are legally allowed to accept debit card payments for lottery tickets, and while most do, it’s up to the retailer.
It is technically legal to purchase lottery tickets in Florida with a credit card, but there are a few caveats and most places won’t accept it as a form of payment. Under Florida law, a person must also purchase at least $20 in goods and services other than lottery tickets.
Can you buy lottery tickets with a debit card at Publix?
No. Publix is cash-only for all lottery tickets.
How late can I buy a Powerball ticket in Florida?
The Florida Lottery stops selling tickets at 9 p.m. CT and 10 p.m. ET on the night of the drawing.
Who can buy lottery tickets in Florida?
Anyone 18 and older can buy lottery tickets in Florida except:
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Employees of the Florida Lottery or any relative living in their households
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Employees of any vendor under contract with the Florida Lottery for a major procurement, involved with direct provision of goods or services to the Lottery, or having access to confidential information from the Lottery, and their immediate supervisors, are prohibited from buying tickets, along with any relatives living in their household
Adults may buy lottery tickets for minors as gifts, however.
What time is the Powerball drawing tonight? How do I find out if I win?
You can watch the Powerball draw live from the Florida Lottery draw studio in Tallahassee at 10:59 p.m. ET every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday. You can stream the drawings live on Powerball’s website or watch clips of the “draw show” on YouTube.
The winning numbers will also be posted on the Powerball website.
Powerball drawing time: Wednesday, August 27, 2025
What’s the take-home amount if I win the Powerball lottery grand prize?
Game leaders increased the Powerball jackpot on Wednesday morning to an estimated $850 million. Winners will have the option of receiving an annuitized prize estimated at $850 million or a lump sum payment estimated at $383.7 million before taxes.
If the winner selects the annuity option, they will receive one immediate payment followed by 29 annual payments that increase by 5% each year, according to the Powerball website.
What were Monday’s winning Powerball numbers?
The winning numbers for Monday night’s drawing were 16, 19, 34, 37, 64, and the Powerball is 22. The Power Play was 3X.
What are my chances of winning the Powerball?
The chances of winning the Powerball lottery jackpot are astronomically small, about 1 in 292,201,338. The overall odds of winning a prize are 1 in 24.87, according to the Powerball website. Here’s a look at the odds in detail.
|
Match |
Prize |
Odds |
|
5 numbers + Powerball |
Grand Prize |
1 in 292,201,338.00 |
|
5 numbers |
$1 Million |
1 in 11,688,053.52 |
|
4 numbers + Powerball |
$50,000 |
1 in 913,129.18 |
|
4 numbers |
$100 |
1 in 36,525.17 |
|
3 numbers + Powerball |
$100 |
1 in 14,494.11 |
|
3 numbers |
$7 |
1 in 579.76 |
|
2 numbers + Powerball |
$7 |
1 in 701.33 |
|
1 number + Powerball |
$4 |
1 in 91.98 |
|
Powerball |
$4 |
1 in 38.32 |
What are the top ten Powerball jackpots?
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$2.04 billion – Nov. 7, 2022 – California
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$1.765 billion – Oct. 11, 2023 – California
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$1.586 billion – Jan. 13, 2016 – California, Florida, Tennessee
-
$1.326 billion – April 6, 2024 – Oregon
-
$1.08 billion – July 19, 2023 – California
-
$850 million – Aug. 27, 2025 – TBD
-
$842.4 million – January 1, 2024 – Michigan
-
$768.4 million – March 27, 2019 – Wisconsin
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$758.7 million – Aug. 23, 2017 – Massachusetts
-
$754.6 million – Feb. 6, 2023 – Washington
Contributors: C.A. Bridges, USA TODAY Network Florida
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Historic Powerball jackpot hits $850M. How to play in Florida
