The upcoming weekend will see National Lottery players vying for a record £377 million jackpot in the UK’s largest draw ever. The massive prize is set for the Powerball game, with the catch being that the winnings will be distributed over 30 years instead of as a lump sum. Earlier this month, the UK made history by joining the Powerball, becoming the first country outside the US and its territories to do so.
The £377 million draw is scheduled to take place in Miami, Florida, at 11 pm local time on Saturday (4 am Sunday BST). Participants select five numbers from 1 to 69 and a Powerball number from 1 to 26, with tickets priced at £4 each. To claim the top prize, all numbers must match.
Tickets can be bought in stores or online, similar to other National Lottery games like EuroMillions and Lotto. Players also have the option of a lucky dip if they prefer not to choose their own numbers.
UK players must purchase tickets before 11:55 pm on Saturday to be eligible for this weekend’s draw. Unlike in the US where Powerball winners can choose a lump sum with a 50% reduction, UK winners can only receive the money as an annuity.
National Lottery operator Allwyn stated that this method ensures winners receive the maximum jackpot possible. In case of multiple winners with the same numbers, the jackpot is divided equally, potentially leading to shared winnings across countries.
Andy Carter, Senior Winners’ Advisor at Allwyn, expressed excitement about the £377 million Powerball jackpot, highlighting the life-changing potential of such a substantial prize. The deadline for ticket purchases is Saturday night at 11:55 pm.
The UK’s largest lottery win occurred in July 2022 when an anonymous individual won £195 million in the EuroMillions. The second-highest prize was claimed by Joe and Jess Thwaite, a couple from Gloucester who won £184.3 million in May of the same year using a Lucky Dip ticket.
EuroMillions jackpots are capped at €250 million (£215 million), whereas there is no maximum limit for Powerball prizes. The largest US Powerball win to date was a $2.04 billion (£1.5 billion) jackpot won by Edwin Castro in California in November 2022.
Following the win, Castro faced a legal challenge from a man claiming his ticket was stolen before the draw but the case was dismissed by a Los Angeles judge. Castro, whose Malibu home was destroyed in wildfires, has purchased land affected by the fires with plans to build family homes.
