UK Launches Powerball, Giving Players a Shot at Billion-Dollar Jackpots

The world's biggest jackpot game is officially making its way to the UK. Starting Tuesday, National Lottery players can buy Powerball tickets for £4 per line, joining players in the United States to compete for life-changing jackpots.

If the current estimated $416 million (£311 million) jackpot isn't won before launch, UK players could be in the running for the very first draw on Thursday.

What Makes the UK Version Different?

• Jackpots start at £12 million with no upper limit.
• Top prizes can grow into hundreds of millions—or even billions.
• UK players get an exclusive "Match 2 Main Numbers" prize worth a fixed £8.
• Matching five main numbers guarantees a £1 million fixed prize.

This is the first time Powerball has expanded beyond the United States, opening the door for British players to compete for some of the largest lottery prizes ever offered.

Allwyn CEO Andria Vidler said the enormous jackpots have the power to change lives and communities, adding that the company is excited to welcome its first UK Powerball winner.

The launch follows a series of major upgrades by the National Lottery. Earlier this year, Lotto introduced a revamped format that gives players two chances to win with every £2 ticket, a move expected to increase the number of millionaires created each year.

Behind the scenes, the lottery also completed a £450 million technology upgrade, transferring millions of player records and billions of historical transactions to a modern platform while improving systems used by retail partners.

The National Lottery continues to see strong momentum. In 2025, ticket sales reached £8.1 billion, a 3.5% increase from the previous year. The lottery also generated more than £1.7 billion for community projects supporting health, education, sports, arts, heritage, and charities, while contributing £967 million in tax revenue.