In one Iowa Powerball game, more than just a few people walked away with a little cash.
There are plenty of Powerball-winning stories out there about more than one person claiming the jackpot. There are tales of office worker pools winning $1 million or $2 million. You can find headlines of friends going in on a Powerball ticket and winning big and family members gathering around the giant winning Powerball check. And there are lots of stories about collective groups coming forward anonymously to claim their winnings.
But in one iconic Powerball game in Iowa, the winning numbers proved to impact more than just a few lives. And while this particular group of people didn’t necessarily walk away with millions, there was plenty of winning happening. More than 41,000 players walked away with a little extra something after this Powerball drawing was over. And it reminds players everywhere of the countless ways to become a Powerball winner, even if it's only four dollars.
Officials Shared the Big News in February
Iowa Powerball officials announced that while the official winning jackpot prize of $731 million had been claimed in Maryland, there were plenty of winners left in Iowa. The average Powerball ticket purchase price for that game was six dollars, roughly equaling three plays per ticket. And with the increased potential for winning even smaller amounts, ranging from four dollars to $50,000, some 41,000 Iowans were coming forward.
They Can’t All Be Jackpots
Of course, not every winning ticket is a Powerball jackpot. But there are still several easy ways to win by way of matching some combination of the white balls or landing the Powerball. Add in a few Power Plays, and those marginal winnings can double instantly. Nine ways to win means in any given Powerball drawing, you might find yourself with a few extra bucks in your pocket. You don't have to walk away from your Powerball game empty-handed.
How to Win a Little Something in Powerball
You might not be able to go out and buy that Lamborghini with a four-dollar Powerball win. But you probably wouldn’t hesitate to tuck that extra cash back in your wallet or buy another Powerball ticket. On the low end, matching the red Powerball and a white ball will earn you that four dollars. Match two white balls and the Powerball, or three white balls only, and you’ll take home seven dollars. Four white ball matches alone will be worth the gas money as a payout of $100. And it gets even more interesting in building combinations from there.
If your Powerball lineup matches four white balls, plus the Powerball, you’re stepping up to claim a $50,000 prize. Match five white balls alone, and you’ll be able to buy that high-priced sports car with a $1 million Powerball prize. Consider adding a Power Play to either of these combinations, and you’re talking life-changing bank accounts.
Lessons to Learn from This Iowa Powerball Headline
When you think about it, 41,368 winners translate to an awful lot of winning. Of course, none of these individuals scored as big as the official Powerball jackpot winner did. But they did manage to match enough of their numbers to win a little extra something. And it’s a reminder to anyone who plays Powerball; there’s always a chance to walk away better off than where you started. Even a marginal win is still a win. And that’s what makes Powerball so much fun to play.
When you buy your Powerball tickets this week, rest assured you have the potential to win, even if it is only four dollars. You could find yourself part of a big group of winners, much like the 41,000 Iowans who earned a little something during this February Powerball game.