Thanks to the digital age we live in, South Africans have the opportunity to bet on the outcome of the American lottery Powerball, just like they would on a Springbok rugby game.

We live in an era where the most famous lotteries of the world are readily available to us at the click of a button. Just like playing our very own South African Powerball, which has given South Africans the opportunity to win, the American Powerball also provides huge opportunities to those who place their bets on the outcome of the game. Both games are extremely popular and have made headlines numerous times with record-breaking jackpots. Let’s delve deeper into these remarkable games.

The South African National Lottery, inaugurated in 2000, has become a significant aspect of many South Africans’ lives. Over the years, it has seen numerous changes and enhancements. A notable milestone was the introduction of the Powerball game on October 23, 2009. This addition led to increased ticket sales and larger jackpots, establishing it as one of the most popular games in South Africa.

The Lotto was the first lottery to be established in South Africa. Launched in March 2000, it marked a significant milestone in the country’s gaming history, with over 800,000 tickets sold on the inaugural day, reflecting the high level of public interest and excitement.

As the draw took place on 11 March, millions of South Africans eagerly anticipated the results, including Thabo Mbeki, who proudly made the inaugural bet. The first top payout amounted to approximately R3 million and was shared among the six initial winners.

The introduction of the PowerBall, however, took a bit longer. With interest in the Lotto waning, the operator sought ways to rejuvenate its popularity. Inspired by the American PowerBall, the South African PowerBall was conceived and launched on 23 October 2009.

The PowerBall format was intentionally designed to increase the chances of multiple rollovers, leading to higher payouts. In PowerBall, participants select five numbers from 1 to 50 and one PowerBall from 1 to 20. This structure provides odds of 1 in 42,375,200 of achieving the top payout.

The largest payout in PowerBall history occurred in 2019 when a single individual in his 50s from Cape Town won an astounding R232,131,750.69.

The massive jackpot accumulated after rolling over 24 consecutive times, significantly increasing the total and causing a substantial surge in lottery ticket sales nationwide. Ultimately, a single ticket claimed the prize. This fortunate ticket was purchased at an OK Mini Mart in Tygerdal. It took a week for the largest Powerball winner to come forward, and when he did, he chose to remain anonymous.

The winner, despite his newfound fortune and being in his 50s, stated that he would continue working and intended to use the money for his children’s education and to support his family members. To put this payout into perspective, he could spend R100,000 per month for 193 years before depleting the funds.

In 1988, a groundbreaking game launched that would become the most popular worldwide and inspire other countries to adopt its exciting format.

Originally named “Lotto America”, it was rebranded as “Powerball” in 1992. In the same year, the inaugural Powerball draw under the new name was conducted, featuring the innovative two-drum system. This system facilitated higher payouts and multiple prize levels. Other lotteries that have adopted this two-drum concept include Mega Millions, EuroJackpot, and EuroMillions.

The biggest US Powerball jackpot win rolled over to an insane $2.04 billion (approximately ZAR 38.5 billion) win on Nov. 7, 2022.

Here are the largest billion-dollar jackpots in American Powerball history:

• $2.04 billion (approx. ZAR 38 billion), Powerball, November 2022
• $1.765 billion (approx. ZAR 33 billion), Powerball, October 2023
• $1.602 billion (approx. ZAR 30 billion), Mega Millions, August 2023
• $1.586 billion (approx. ZAR 30 billion), Powerball, January 2016
• $1.537 billion (approx. ZAR 29 billion), Mega Millions, October 2018
• $1.348 billion (approx. ZAR 25 billion), Mega Millions, January 2023

Number of Balls:

• Main Numbers: 5
• Powerball: 1

Range of Numbers:

• Main Numbers: 1 to 50
• Powerball: 1 to 20

Odds of Winning Jackpot:

1 in 42,375,200

Draw Frequency:

Twice weekly (Tuesdays and Fridays)

Number of Balls:

• Main Numbers: 5
• Powerball: 1

Range of Numbers:

• Main Numbers: 1 to 69
• Powerball: 1 to 26

Odds of Winning Jackpot:

1 in 292,201,338

Draw Frequency:

Three times weekly (Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays)

Range of Main Numbers:

• South African Powerball uses numbers from 1 to 50.
• American Powerball uses numbers from 1 to 69.

Range of Powerball Numbers:

• South African Powerball uses numbers from 1 to 20.
• American Powerball uses numbers from 1 to 26.

Odds of Winning the Jackpot:

The American Powerball has significantly longer odds of 1 in 292,201,338 compared to the South African Powerball’s odds of 1 in 42,375,200.

Draw Frequency:

South African Powerball holds draws twice a week. American Powerball, on the other hand, has draws three times a week at 22:59 every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday in Florida (US), which is 05:00 AM SAST on Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday mornings. *(Note the time difference between summer and winter.)

All you need is a Lotto247 account and you can bet on the outcome of the American Powerball, as well as some of the world’s most popular lotteries. Remember, you can check historical and recent Lotto results and PowerBall results almost instantly with Lotto247.

Just a reminder, when you bet at Lotto247 you are placing a fixed odds bet on the outcome of the Powerball lottery.