The Powerball Jackpot Is $1.4 Billion—Here’s How to Buy Your Ticket Without Leaving Your Home (2024)

When the multistate lottery Powerball failed to find a grand-prize winner on Wednesday, Oct. 4, 2023, it accomplished two things: It disappointed a whole lot of people, and it climbed to a record-taking jackpot. The prize is at its third highest in history, which bodes well for a certain Midwestern state that seems to churn out lottery winners. There’s still time to get in on the game, and it’s now easier than ever to snag a ticket.

With so much at stake, you may be tempted to race to your local lottery ticket kiosk in the hopes of making some easy money. But what if you could buy Powerball tickets (and potentially make quick cash) from your couch? Turns out, you can—if you live in certain states and use a lottery app.

Want in on that 10-figure prize? Here’s how to buy your ticket without leaving your home. Be sure to snag yours before the next drawing!

Get Reader’s Digest’sRead Up newsletter for more news, humor, cleaning, travel, tech and fun facts all week long.

How much is Powerball currently?

Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Before you start looking up the most common lottery numbers, you’ll want to know how much money Powerball could potentially add to your bank account if your ticket matches all six numbers. Let’s just say it’s a lot of zeroes.

As of Thursday, Oct. 5, 2023, the Powerball jackpot has soared to a whopping $1.4 billion. (The highest jackpot ever was a whopping $2 billion win in 2022, while the second-highest jackpot in history was a $1.5 billion win in 2016, and the fourth-highest pot was the $1 billion win from July 2023.) Talk about a hefty purse. The winner will get to choose between a lump-sum payment of $643.7 million or $1.4 billion in 30 annual installments.

That’s right: The winner won’t bank the full $1.4 billion if they opt to receive the lump sum. Per Forbes, winning the $1.4 billion would equate to a post-tax lump sum somewhere between $489.2 million (the amount after the mandatory federal tax withholding) and $405.5 million (the lowest number possible after the federal marginal rate of up to 37%), depending on the person’s taxable income.

OK, but even the lowest-possible prize is still a whole lot of money. And you could win your piece of the pie if you purchase a ticket before the next drawing, which happens on Oct. 7, 2023.

When is the Powerball drawing?

The Powerball drawing is broadcast live at 10:59 p.m. EST on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. So get that ticket ready!

How much is the Mega Millions currently?

The Powerball drawing isn’t the only path to a windfall. There’s also the Mega Millions lottery—its next estimated jackpot is $350 million. Want in on the action? You’ll have to get a ticket soon. The next drawing happens on Oct. 6, 2023, at 11 p.m. EST.

A word of warning: While you’re imagining your sweet, sweet winnings, be sure to stay alert for potential lottery scams. This type of bank scam plays on your hopes of winning it big, so be cautious of anyone who calls with the great news that you’ve won the lotto.

How do you buy lottery tickets online?

Anadolu Agency/Getty Images

Ditch those last-minute mini-mart stops to pick up a lottery ticket. Depending on where you live, you may be able to access lottery tickets via a smartphone app.

Two go-to lottery apps include Jackpocket and Lotto.com, and there are a lot of similarities between them. Both allow you to order lottery tickets from the comfort of, well, anywhere. Both buy your ticket from a local retailer, send you a digital copy, then hold the physical ticket for you in a secure location. And both restrict purchases to certain states.

If you’re looking to cash in big with the Powerball and Mega Millions drawings, your first step is to make sure the apps work in your area.

To purchase a ticket on the Lotto.com app, you’ll need to be in one of six states:

• Arkansas
• Colorado
• Minnesota
• New Jersey
• New York
• Texas

If you want to buy lottery tickets with Jackpocket, you’ll need to be physically located within one of these 17 states:

• Arizona
• Arkansas
• Colorado
• Idaho
• Massachusetts
• Minnesota
• Montana
• Nebraska
• New Hampshire
• New Jersey
• New Mexico
• New York
• Ohio
• Oregon
• Texas
• Washington, DC
• West Virginia

Remember, you cannot buy a lottery ticket for a state if your location data shows that you’re not in the state. You must be verified as 18 or older to play, but check the regulations for your state, because it varies.

Will they expand to more states?

If the apps get their way, they will. According to Lotto.com, its availability for lottery ticket purchases will soon be expanding to new states with both draw and scratch tickets, but which states are included in the expansion remains unclear. Jackpocket also says it’s looking to expand, though we’ll have to wait to find out where and when.

In the meantime, if you’re not in one of the states above, you’ll have to make a trip to your local convenience store or simply live vicariously through other lottery winners.

Are there any fees?

You have to spend money to make money, right? That’s the case where the lottery is concerned. You have to buy lottery tickets, and if you use a lottery app to get digitally delivered lottery tickets, you’ll also pay a small fee.

The Lotto.com app charges a 50- to 70-cent convenience fee for one Powerball ticket, depending on the state. And Jackpocket charges a 7% to 10% service charge.

How safe are the apps?

You’ve paid for a ticket, and more than $1 billion is on the line. You’re not looking for a drawn-out lottery-ticket dispute. So just how safe will your lottery ticket be while you wait to learn the winning numbers? Very safe—at least according to the companies.

Lotto.com claims to have enhanced security measures, such as “industry-leading [partners] complying with PCI standards” who manage your payment information and a “fire-proof vault monitored 24/7” for your physical lottery ticket.

Jackpocket points to digital safety measures (it won’t store your bank account info) and physical precautions as well: After the courier purchases your ticket, you’ll get a scan and a confirmation email with the ticket serial number. Then the paper ticket goes into a fireproof safe.

What else is new with lottery apps?

While the Lotto.com app may not be new (it launched in 2021), its expanding features, like more access to lotto games, are. There are a lot of similarities between it and Jackpocket, but a cool new feature may give you reason to press download on Lotto.com. It now offers digital scratch tickets—only in Texas and Colorado, unfortunately.

The feature is a convenient twist on a fun element of playing the lottery: the big reveal. Talk about instant gratification!

Sources:

• Powerball: “Top 10 Powerball Jackpots”
• Forbes: “Powerball Jackpot Rises To $1.4 Billion—Here’s What The Winner Will Take Home After Taxes”
• GlobeNewswire: “Lotto.com Introduces Innovative Digital Scratch Tickets, Redefining the Lottery Experience”
• Lotto.com: “Who We Are”
• Jackpocket: “How Jackpocket Works”