Powerball jackpots are about to be much larger. Reporter explains.
USA TODAY’s Fernando Cervantes explains the historic agreement with the UK National Lottery.
The Powerball jackpot rose to $31 million with a cash value of $14 million ahead of the Wednesday, May 6, drawing.
According to Powerball, the jackpot has been hit almost 200 times since the lottery’s inception in 1992. As of today, 48 U.S. lotteries participate in the Powerball game, with five states not offering it: Alabama, Alaska, Hawaii, Nevada, and Utah.
Wednesday’s drawing comes only days after the Powerball had one of its most active weeks in years, with four jackpot winners over two drawings. The first, from Indiana and Kansas, took home a $143 million jackpot on Wednesday, April 29.
Then, only days later, two other players, from Texas and Florida, took home a $20 million jackpot.
Here is what you need to know about Wednesday night’s Powerball drawing.
What are the winning numbers for the May 6 Powerball?
The winning numbers for the Wednesday, May 6, Powerball drawing are 18, 27, 51, 65, 68, and the Powerball is 5. The “Power Play” multiplier is 3x.
Did anyone win the Powerball jackpot?
No one won the Powerball jackpot, the Match 5 + Power Play $2 million prize or the Match 5 $1 million prize.
Do you have to be a U.S. citizen or resident to play Powerball?
The short answer is no, you do not have to be a U.S. citizen or U.S. resident to play Powerball. When visiting one of the 45 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, anyone, regardless of nationality, can purchase lottery tickets from an authorized and licensed retailer, if they meet the legal age requirement at the point of purchase – usually 18 years old.
Top 10 Powerball Jackpots
- $2.040 billion on Nov. 7, 2022 in California
- $1.817 billion on Dec. 24, 2025 in Arkansas
- $1.787 billion on Sept. 6, 2025 in Missouri and Texas
- $1.765 billion on Oct. 11, 2023 in California
- $1.586 billion on Jan. 13, 2016 in California, Florida and Tennessee
- $1.326 billion on April 6, 2024 in Oregon
- $1.080 billion on July 19, 2023 in California
- $842.4 million on Jan. 1, 2024 in Michigan
- $768.4 million on Mar. 27, 2019 in Wisconsin
- $758.7 million on Aug. 23, 2017 in Massachusetts
How to play Powerball
Powerball tickets are $2 per play and are sold in 45 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. You can do this at a variety of locations, including a local convenience store, gas station, or even grocery store. In some states, Powerball tickets can be bought online depending on local jurisdiction.
Once you have your ticket, you need to pick six numbers. Five of them will be white balls numbered 1 to 69. The red Powerball ranges from 1 to 26. People can also add a “Power Play” for $1, which increases the winning for all non-jackpot prizes. The “Power Play” multiplier can multiply winnings by: 2X, 3X, 4X, 5X, or 10X.
If you want the computer to select the numbers, the “Quick Pick” option is available, as well. To win the jackpot, players must match all five white balls in any order and the red Powerball.
Powerball drawings are held on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday nights. If no one wins the jackpot, the cash prize will keep ticking up.
Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach him at fernando.cervantes@usatodayco.com and follow him on X @fern_cerv_.
