Everything you need to know about tonight's $100m Powerball jackpot
Thursday night’s $100 million Powerball jackpot might seem impossible to win but there are a number of ways to increase your chances of claiming the prize.
Lotteries operator The Lott spokesperson Matt Hart said if one single entry takes out the entire $100 million “it would be the largest individual Australian lottery prize ever won”.
“The current record is held by a couple of Hervey Bay grandparents who won $70 million in January 2016,” he said.
“Before their life-changing windfall the winners confessed to never having won anything more than a chook raffle!”
How to play Powerball
Last week, Yahoo7 delved into the odds of winning the $80 million Powerball jackpot before it ballooned to $100m.
To win division one, and claim get a chance at claiming $100m, you need seven winning numbers and the Powerball.
The Lott claims the chances of taking out division one are 10 times likelier with a 12-game entry as opposed to one game. The odds shorten from about one in 134 million to one in about 11 million.
Division two winners need seven winning numbers while division three requires six and the Powerball.
There are nine divisions in total with the odds increasing down to the lowest division.
What numbers should I pick?
The Lott has revealed the most likely numbers drawn for anyone not feeling sentimental with their picks.
While Powerball is a random game of chance and every number has an equal chance of being drawn, data shows some have been drawn more than others.
The most frequently drawn winning numbers are 34, 32, 24, 9, and 25, and for the Powerball – 19, 9, 15, 16 and 17.
If picking numbers has you in sixes and sevens, you can always go with a QuickPick entry where numbers are randomly generated.
If picking numbers has you in sixes and sevens, you can always go with a QuickPick entry where numbers are randomly generated.
Best entry types
According to the Lott, data shows three entry types might hold the key to winning.
A PowerHit entry ensures regardless of what the Powerball number is, you have it in your picks. A division one prize is only ensured with the correct Powerball number.
One-in-five winning entries last financial year were PowerHits, while two-thirds were QuickPicks.
The data shows there’s power in numbers too, with syndicate entries said to be increasingly popular.
By pooling money with work colleagues, family or friends, you can buy a share in a bigger entry with more chances to win.
All winnings are shared among syndicate members.
Where can I buy a ticket?
The Lott has listed the postcodes, which have sold the most division one winning Powerball entries.
You can buy Powerball tickets at most newsagencies around Australia.
But if you’re feeling lazy they can also be purchased online or via the Lott app.
When does the draw close and how can I check if I’ve won?
Powerball closes at 7.30pm AEST every Thursday night with the draw taking place shortly afterwards.
You can also watch the draw on 7TWO at about 8.30pm.
If you want to check the results, they are normally posted by 9pm with the dividends for each game following the draw.
The winning numbers are also available online. You can also check your ticket online, in-store or scan it using the Lott app.
