You can still be a big winner if you match the five white Powerball numbers, but miss the red Jackpot ball.
Matching five Powerball numbers sounds like the kind of thing that should come with a jackpot-sized celebration. But what happens when all five white balls match and the red Powerball doesn’t? You didn’t hit the jackpot, but don’t toss that ticket. It could still be worth a serious amount of money.
You Missed the Powerball, But You May Still Be a Winner
It’s a surreal moment. Checking your lottery ticket and seeing a string of matching numbers is exciting. But if you look closely at your ticket and realize you’ve matched all five numbers but missed the red Powerball, you might wonder what happens next. While you didn’t win the jackpot, your prize may still be life-changing. Specific combinations of matched balls equal different payouts.
The Million Dollar Base Prize
When you match all five white ball numbers in any order but miss the red Powerball, you may miss out on the big jackpot, but you can still win the second-tier prize. With a 5 white ball combo, you can still walk away with a base prize of $1 million. The exception is California, where non-jackpot prize amounts are determined on a pari-mutuel basis.
The odds of matching all five white balls are steep. Though you may have been wanting the grand prize, it's still exciting even if you don’t win the jackpot. Hitting all five still means you’ve beaten the odds for a big payout.
Double Your Prize With Power Play
Your $1 million payout can become even bigger if you opted into the Power Play option when you purchased your ticket. For only an extra dollar, the Power Play multiplier increases non-jackpot winnings.
Matching five white numbers with Power Play automatically doubles the prize to $2 million, regardless of which multiplier ball is selected for that drawing.
A Real Winner
Coming up one ball short of the jackpot happens more often than you think.
Aaron Bendickson of Warrenton, OR, was in the U.S. Army for 23 years before he was diagnosed with skin cancer. Since then, he’s struggled with additional health issues.
In 2025, Bendickson decided to take a healthy step and stop smoking. He decided he would use his cigarette money to play the lottery instead. This change eventually led to his $1 million Powerball win.
Bendickson’s five matching numbers won him the second-tier prize of $1 million. Read more about his story here.
Payout Options
Unlike the grand prize jackpot, which gives winners a choice between a 30-year annuity or a reduced cash lump sum, the “Match 5” prize is strictly a one-time cash payout. However, you won’t take home the entire $1 or $2 million due to state and federal taxes.
Next Steps As a Winner
If you are lucky enough to find yourself holding a ticket with five matching white numbers, you have some important next steps.
- Sign the back. Whoever signs the back owns the winning ticket. Sign your name right away to prevent anyone else from claiming it if it gets lost.
- Check the deadline of your ticket. Each state has its own rules regarding how long a ticket is valid after the drawing, so be sure to know the rules in your state. Deadlines typically range from 90 days to a full year after the drawing.
What To Do If You Miss the Powerball
Even if you match the 5 white numbers, missing the red Powerball might feel like a miss. But walking away with $1 or $2 million is, of course, still a huge win. Remember to sign your ticket and turn it in by the deadline to claim your prize. And always remember to play Powerball responsibly and have fun!