Powerball is an American lottery game sold in 44 jurisdictions (45 when California joins in April 2013) as a shared jackpot game. It is coordinated by theMulti-State Lottery Association (MUSL), a non-profit organization formed by an agreement with lotteries. Since the format change on January 15, 2012, Powerball's minimum advertised jackpot is $40 million (annuity) with a potential of nine-figure prizes (prior jackpots began at $20 million). Its annuity option is paid in 30 graduated installments; winners may choose cash instead. Powerball drawings are held Wednesdays and Saturdays at 10:59 p.m. Eastern time. The game uses a 5/59 (white balls) + 1/35 (Powerballs) matrix from which winning numbers are chosen. Each play costs $2, or, with the Power Playoption, $3. (Prior to January 15, 2012, games cost $1 each, or $2 with Power Play; that option was added in 2001.)
The official cutoff time for ticket sales is 10 pm ET; some jurisdictions cut sales earlier.[1] The drawings usually are held at the Florida Lottery’s high-tech studio in Tallahassee. Before, the drawings were held at Universal Studios in Orlando (prior to 2009, its drawings usually were held in Iowa). On the night of each drawing, there are six prerecorded draws: four "test" drawings, then the actual drawing, followed by a "post test" draw. Some drawings were held away from headquarters to promote the game's expansion to a new jurisdiction. The results of drawings are not official until they are audited by the accounting firm Harvey, Covington & Thomas, LLC.
The drawing on November 28, 2012, produced the largest jackpots (annuity and cash values) in the game's history, $587,500,000 annuity, or $384,700,000 cash value.[2] Two tickets (one each from Missouri and Arizona) are eligible for a jackpot share.[3] Only the Mega Millions drawing of March 30, 2012, split by three tickets, has a higher annuity ($656,000,000) and cash values ($474,000,000).
On August 15, 2012, Powerball set an American record for largest lottery prize on one ticket; it was bought in Michigan. Annuity, $337,000,000; cash value: $223,700,000.
On November 29, 2012, one day after the drawing for the largest Powerball jackpot, the California State Lottery Commission voted to sell Powerball tickets starting on April 8, 2013.





