You pick 6 numbers total for Powerball: 5 main numbers and 1 Powerball number.

Basic Powerball picks

  • You choose 5 numbers from 1 to 69 (these are often called the “white balls”).
  • Then you choose 1 separate Powerball number from 1 to 26 (the “red ball”).
  • So in total, that’s 6 numbers marked on your playslip for one play.

Quick picks and options

  • Instead of choosing your own numbers, you can mark a Quick Pick box and have the terminal randomly select all 6 numbers for you.
  • Many state lotteries also let you add options like Power Play for an extra cost, which can multiply non-jackpot prizes.

Mini FAQ style view

  • Question: How many numbers do you pick for Powerball?
    Answer: 6 numbers total (5 from 1–69 and 1 from 1–26).
  • Question: Do all 6 numbers come from the same pool?
    Answer: No, 5 come from the 1–69 pool and the Powerball comes from a separate 1–26 pool.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.