Powerball AU

Australian Powerball is one of Australia's most popular lottery games, not to be confused with its American counterpart. Operated by the Lott, Australian Powerball features a different format from the US version: players select 7 main numbers from 1 to 35 plus 1 Powerball from 1 to 20. The game has produced Australia's largest ever lottery prize of $160 million AUD in 2019. Draws take place every Thursday, and the game is available across all Australian states and territories.

Select 7 main numbers from 1 to 35 and 1 Powerball from 1 to 20. Each game costs approximately $1.35 AUD (varies by state). To win the jackpot (Division 1), match all 7 main numbers plus the Powerball. System entries and Pick entries are available for more combinations.

Australian Powerball draws take place every Thursday at approximately 8:30 PM AEST.

The game has 9 prize divisions. Division 1 (7 main + Powerball) wins the jackpot, which starts at $3 million AUD. Division 2 (7 main, no Powerball) typically pays around $200,000. Lower divisions go down to Division 9 (2 main + Powerball).

Australian Powerball has considerably better odds than US Powerball. The 7-from-35 format with a 1-from-20 Powerball gives odds of about 1 in 134 million, compared to 1 in 292 million for US Powerball. The Thursday draw schedule also means less competition from other major lottery draws.

Australian Powerball launched in May 1996 with a 5/45 + 1/45 format. It has undergone several format changes, the most recent in April 2018 when it changed from 6/40 + 1/20 to the current 7/35 + 1/20 format. This change was designed to create larger, more attention-grabbing jackpots.