The West Virginia Powerball Lottery is part of the larger, multi-state POWERBALL© game. POWERBALL© is one of the most popular Lottery games in the United States, known for its large jackpots.
Like players in other participating states, West Virginia residents can participate by selecting numbers in hopes of correctly predicting the Lottery outcome.
With this in mind, we wanted to provide you with a guide on how to play whether you decide to play West Virginia Lottery Powerball WV, VA, NY, OH or any of the 45 states that play. So, if you’re ready to know more, read on.
How to Play POWERBALL©
To play, you’ll need to choose six numbers for each ticket:
- Five white ball numbers between one and 69.
- One red POWERBALL© number between one and 26.
You can either pick your numbers manually or opt for a ‘quick pick’, which allows the system to generate the numbers for them randomly.
Additionally, an optional feature called the Power Play can be added for an extra $1 per play.
The Power Play multiplies non-jackpot winnings by 2x, 3x, 4x, 5x, or even 10x, depending on the Power Play number drawn. For example, if you win the second prize of $1 million and select Power Play, your prize can double to $2 million.
However, the 10x multiplier is available only when the jackpot is $150 million or less.
How To Get A Ticket
In West Virginia, POWERBALL ©tickets can be purchased at any authorized Lottery retailer, including convenience stores, supermarkets, gas stations, and more. You can now also play and check your numbers online, from anywhere you have a reliable internet connection in the state!
When buying a ticket, you can choose your numbers or use the quick-pick option. Each play costs $2, and for an additional $1, you can add the Power Play feature. Tickets are available until the cutoff time, typically an hour before the drawing.
How To Play Online
STEP 1. Select Purchase Now
Select one of the following options to purchase Powerball tickets online. Once you’ve made your selection, select “ADD TO CART”.
- QUICK PICK
- Select one of the following to have your numbers randomly selected:
- $9 (3 plays with POWERPLAY©)
- $15 (5 plays with POWERPLAY©)
- $30 (10 plays with POWERPLAY©)
- $6 (3 plays)
- $10 (5 plays)
- $20 (10 plays)
- Select one of the following to have your numbers randomly selected:
- USE FAVORITE PURCHASE
- Populate your Shopping Cart with a previously saved and purchased set of tickets.
- PICK MY NUMBERS
- You can create your tickets by selecting five white ball numbers from 1 to 69 and a single red Powerball number from 1 to 26.
STEP 2. Rating your Shopping Cart
You can review your shopping cart after selecting “ADD TO CART” or by selecting the cart icon at the top right corner.
For your Powerball tickets, you will have a series of optional add-ons:
- Add Power Play?
- For $1.00 more per ticket, toggle “Yes” and add the POWERPLAY©, which could increase your non-jackpot prize by 2X, 3X, 4X, 5X, or 10X*.
- Auto-Renew?
- Automatically purchase tickets every two weeks until you cancel the auto-renewal. Sign up once by toggling “Yes” for auto-renewal.**
- Add to my favorite numbers
- Check this box to add your set of ticket(s) to your Favorites. Populate your Shopping Cart with saved, purchased (sets of) tickets next time you choose “USE FAVORITE PURCHASE”.
If you want to add more tickets to your purchase, you can choose ADD MORE GAMES to return to the Draw Games page.
STEP 4. Purchase your tickets.
- Select CHECKOUT to proceed to payment.
STEP 5. Look up your tickets.
- Once your purchase is complete, you can look up your tickets by selecting your profile icon in the top right corner.
- Select “My Account” and “My Upcoming Draws” in the Draw Games section to review your numbers and the drawing times.
You will automatically receive winning alerts about any prizes you have won next time you sign in with your West Virginia Lottery account. You can also check for drawing results in the Past Draws section in My Account.
Drawings and Prizes
Powerball drawings are held three times per week—Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday at 10:59 p.m. ET.
Five white balls and one red POWERBALL© are selected randomly during each drawing. To win the jackpot, you must match all six numbers. However, there are eight additional prize tiers, ranging from $4 for matching just the Powerball, to $1 million for matching the five white ball numbers but not the Powerball.
Jackpots start at $20 million and grow each time there is no jackpot winner.
The largest POWERBALL© jackpot ever won was over $2 billion. The Power Play feature allows for the increase of non-jackpot prizes, except for the jackpot and the second prize tier, which is capped at $2 million.
How Many States Play POWERBALL©?
POWERBALL© is available in 45 states, plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, for a total of 48 jurisdictions.
West Virginia, one of the earliest states to join the game, did so in 1988.
Claiming a Prize
If you correctly predict the game’s outcome, there are different ways to claim your prize depending on the amount:
- Small prizes (up to $600) can be claimed at any West Virginia Lottery retailer.
- Larger prizes must be claimed at a West Virginia Lottery office or via mail for added convenience.
- If you predict all the numbers for the jackpot, you’ll have the option of taking the prize as a lump sum or as an annuity spread over 30 years. West Virginia Lottery officials are available to guide winners through the process.