what does power play mean in powerball

Power Play in Powerball is an optional add-on that can multiply your non- jackpot winnings, usually for an extra $1 per play. It does not increase the jackpot itself.

How it works

A separate multiplier is drawn for the game, and that multiplier can boost eligible prizes by 2x, 3x, 4x, 5x, or sometimes 10x depending on the rules in that state or lottery version.

Simple example

If you win a smaller prize, Power Play can raise it a lot; for example, one source says a $100 prize could become $500 if the 5x multiplier is drawn.

Important note

The jackpot is excluded, and some prize tiers have special limits, such as the Match 5 prize being doubled to $2 million rather than multiplied beyond that.

So, in plain English: Power Play means “pay a little extra to potentially multiply your non-jackpot Powerball prize.”