Power Play is the question the clerk asks with almost every Powerball ticket. Here's what the extra dollar buys, how likely each multiplier is, and when it makes more or less sense.
What does Power Play do?
A Powerball play costs $2, and Power Play adds $1. At each drawing a Power Play multiplier is selected, and if your ticket wins any prize other than the jackpot, the prize is multiplied by that number. These are the amounts from the official Powerball prize chart:
| You match | Base prize | With Power Play (2X to 5X) | With 10X |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 white + Powerball | Jackpot | Jackpot (not multiplied) | Jackpot |
| 5 white | $1,000,000 | $2,000,000 | $2,000,000 |
| 4 white + Powerball | $50,000 | $100,000 to $250,000 | $500,000 |
| 4 white, or 3 white + Powerball | $100 | $200 to $500 | $1,000 |
| 3 white, or 2 white + Powerball | $7 | $14 to $35 | $70 |
| 1 white + Powerball, or Powerball only | $4 | $8 to $20 | $40 |
The five-white-ball prize is the exception: with Power Play it's $2 million whatever multiplier comes up. The 10X multiplier is only in play when the advertised jackpot is $150 million or less; above that, the top multiplier is 5X.
What are the odds of each Power Play multiplier?
The multipliers aren't equally likely. Powerball publishes the odds as fractions of 43 when 10X is available and 42 when it isn't:
| Multiplier | Jackpot $150M or less | Jackpot over $150M |
|---|---|---|
| 2X | 24 in 43 | 24 in 42 |
| 3X | 13 in 43 | 13 in 42 |
| 4X | 3 in 43 | 3 in 42 |
| 5X | 2 in 43 | 2 in 42 |
| 10X | 1 in 43 | not available |
So you'll get 2X more than half the time. Averaging the multipliers by their odds gives about 2.77 (119 ÷ 43) when 10X is available and about 2.60 (109 ÷ 42) when it isn't. Put another way, Power Play raises the price of a play by 50% and, on the small prizes most winning tickets collect, typically multiplies them by two or three.
Is Power Play worth the extra $1?
It depends on which prizes you care about. If you're only playing for the jackpot, Power Play does nothing for you; the dollar could go toward another play instead.
The add-on matters most in the middle of the prize chart. Matching four white balls and the Powerball (odds 1 in 913,129) pays $50,000 on its own and $100,000 to $500,000 with Power Play. Matching all five white balls (1 in 11,688,054) pays $1 million, or $2 million with Power Play. Those are long odds, but they are the prizes where the extra dollar makes a real difference.
For the small prizes, the effect is modest: a $4 win usually becomes $8. Power Play doesn't change your odds of winning anything; it only changes how much you'd collect.
The other $1 add-on is Double Play, which enters your same numbers in a second drawing held after each Powerball drawing, with a top cash prize of $10 million. Powerball says 30 lotteries offer it, and Power Play doesn't multiply Double Play prizes. Mega Millions has no equivalent choice anymore: since April 2025 every $5 ticket includes a built-in multiplier.
Where is Power Play sold, and what's the fine print?
In Idaho and Montana, Powerball is sold bundled with Power Play, so a play costs at least $3 there, according to Powerball.com. In California, Powerball says prize amounts are pari-mutuel, set by sales and the number of winners, so the fixed amounts in the tables above don't apply; check the California Lottery for how its prizes work. Our explainer on California's pari-mutuel prizes has more.
You have to add Power Play when you buy the ticket; it can't be added after the drawing. Multiplied prizes are taxed like any other lottery winnings. Under the IRS Form W-2G instructions, the lottery reports a prize of $2,000 or more (the 2026 threshold) that is at least 300 times the wager, and withholds 24% federal tax when the prize minus the wager is over $5,000. Our lottery tax breakdown covers state taxes.
Power Play questions
How much does Power Play cost?
$1 per play on top of the $2 Powerball play, so $3 in total. In Idaho and Montana, Powerball is sold with Power Play included, at a minimum of $3 per play.
Does Power Play multiply the jackpot?
No. Power Play applies only to non-jackpot prizes. The five-white-ball prize becomes a flat $2 million with Power Play.
When is the 10X Power Play available?
Only when the advertised jackpot is $150 million or less. Even then, its odds are 1 in 43.
What does the Powerball alone pay with Power Play?
The Powerball-only prize is $4, so with Power Play it pays $8, $12, $16 or $20, or $40 when 10X is drawn.
Is Power Play worth it?
It doesn't help with the jackpot, and on small prizes it usually just doubles a few dollars. It makes the biggest difference on the $50,000 and $1 million prizes, which it raises to as much as $500,000 and a flat $2 million.
See the latest numbers on our Powerball results page and the full prize list on Powerball ways to win.
Sources: Powerball official prize chart, Double Play page and game information; IRS Instructions for Forms W-2G and 5754.
