If you match 5 numbers correctly, you will win R100 000 regardless of whether there is a rollover or not; however, if there are no winners for the Powerball jackpot itself (6 correct numbers), the prize money will be added to that for winning 5 numbers and so on until someone wins it. If a player matches four numbers correctly and then has their fifth number matched through our SA Lotto Plus feature – e-Plus – they will win an additional R20 000!
How to Play Powerball
Powerball is a lottery game played in many countries around the world. Players choose 5 numbers from 1 to 69 and 1 Powerball number from 1 to 26. If you match all six numbers, you win the jackpot! The jackpot amount is based on sales for that particular draw, so it could be any amount up to the maximum for that particular draw.
Once you’ve bought your ticket, don’t forget about your lucky number combination! You may want to write them down somewhere safe or keep them safe on your phone so they don’t get lost with time.
How do you win on Powerball?
Powerball is a lot like the other lottery games available in South Africa. For example, you buy an entry ticket and then play for a prize if your numbers match those randomly drawn by the South African Lottery Commission at their offices in Cape Town.
However, unlike most of these other lotteries, with Powerball there’s an extra element to consider: You can win one of two jackpots! One is the regular prize amount that anyone who has all five numbers on their ticket will win. The second is called the Power Play multiplier which increases any prizes won with it by 2x, 3x or 4x (as applicable). This means it’s possible for someone to win both jackpot amounts simultaneously!
What’s more likely, winning the lottery or getting struck by lightning twice?
You’re probably a lot more likely to get struck by lightning twice than winning the Powerball jackpot.
The odds of winning the lottery are a mere 1 in 13,983,816. If you were to buy one ticket every day for an entire year, those odds would be better than winning the lottery just once!
However, getting struck by lightning is significantly more likely: You have about a 1 in 700,000 chance of being hit by lightning at least once during your lifetime. In fact, there have been several people who have been struck multiple times (and survived).
How much do you take home if you win the Powerball jackpot?
If you win the Powerball jackpot, a lump sum payout is always the best option. This means that if you’ve won R200 million or more, your winnings will be paid out in one single payment – rather than over 30 years. Here’s how much your prize payout would be if you take home the entire jackpot:
- The cash option is 60% of its value and pays out R120 million (60% of whatever amount it was when it was drawn).
- The annuity option makes monthly payments over 29 years at 5% interest per year (this works out to an annual payment of R6 428 000).
In this example scenario, taking home the whole jackpot in cash would give you more money each year than going with either of these two options combined!
