What Is Power Play?
The Basics
For an additional $1 per line, you can add Power Play to your Powerball ticket. If your ticket wins any prize other than the jackpot, that prize is multiplied by the Power Play multiplier drawn for that night.
Multiplier Values
The multiplier is drawn separately from the main numbers on drawing night. It can be 2×, 3×, 4×, or 5× — and, when the advertised jackpot is $150 million or below, a 10× is also in the pool.
What Power Play Does & Doesn't Multiply
It multiplies:
- The 4-white + Powerball prize ($50,000 base) — becomes up to $500,000 at 10×.
- The 4-white-only prize ($100 base).
- The 3-white + Powerball prize ($100 base).
- The 3-white-only prize ($7 base).
- The 2-white + Powerball prize ($7 base).
- The 1-white + Powerball prize ($4 base).
- The Powerball-only prize ($4 base).
It does NOT multiply:
- The jackpot. If you win the jackpot, you win the advertised amount regardless of Power Play.
- The Match-5 $1,000,000 prize by more than 2×. Match 5 with Power Play is fixed at $2,000,000, no matter what multiplier is drawn.
Example
Say the multiplier drawn is 5×, and your ticket matches 4 white numbers plus the Powerball. Base prize: $50,000. With Power Play: $250,000. That's a real difference — but you only get it if you match at that tier, which has odds of about 1 in 913,129.
Is Power Play Worth It?
Honest math: Power Play has a slightly negative expected value. On average, adding it costs a bit more than the extra prize money it returns over many tickets. But most lottery play is entertainment, not investment — so the real question is whether an extra $1 for the possibility of a much larger non-jackpot prize is fun for you. If yes, add it. If not, skip it.
What Power Play doesn't do: change the odds of winning. See our Powerball odds guide for the full breakdown.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Power Play?
Power Play is an optional Powerball add-on that costs an extra $1 per line. It multiplies any non-jackpot prize you win by 2×, 3×, 4×, 5×, or 10×. The multiplier is drawn separately for each Powerball drawing.
How much does Power Play cost?
Power Play costs an additional $1 per line, on top of the $2 base ticket. A single Powerball play with Power Play costs $3 total.
Does Power Play multiply the jackpot?
No. Power Play never multiplies the jackpot prize. If you match all six numbers, you win the standard jackpot regardless of whether you added Power Play.
What is the 10× multiplier?
The 10× multiplier is only available when the advertised jackpot is $150 million or less. When the jackpot exceeds $150 million, the multiplier options are limited to 2×, 3×, 4×, and 5×.
Is there a cap on Power Play prizes?
Yes. The Match-5 prize (five white numbers, no Powerball) is capped at $2,000,000 with Power Play, regardless of the multiplier. The base Match-5 prize is $1,000,000, so Power Play always doubles it — it does not multiply by 3×, 5×, or 10× for this tier.
Is Power Play worth it?
Mathematically, adding Power Play has a slightly negative expected value — you pay $1 for a small extra chance of a larger non-jackpot prize. That said, most players lose on any lottery ticket, so the question is really about entertainment value. If a 10× multiplier on a Match-4-plus-Powerball prize ($500,000 instead of $50,000) sounds fun to you, it might be worth $1. If not, save the dollar.