National Lottery starts UK Powerball sales ahead of £300m first draw

The National Lottery has started selling tickets for Powerball in the UK, with the first draw set for Thursday 23 July 2026 and an estimated £300 million jackpot. Allwyn, operator of The National Lottery, said tickets are available online via The National Lottery app and in retailers nationwide, priced at £4 per line.

Allwyn said the first UK Powerball ticket was sold at Sewell On The Go in Pocklington, York shortly after 5am, and the first online ticket was purchased via The National Lottery App by a player in Brighton at 5.54am. Players can buy tickets for the first draw until 11.55pm on Wednesday 22 July, with the draw taking place at around 4am UK time.

Powerball is launching in the UK in partnership with the Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL), the non-profit association owned and operated by its member lotteries. Allwyn said 48 US-based lotteries currently participate in Powerball, and UK draws will take place three times a week (Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays) from the Powerball studio in Florida.

Under the UK version, players choose five main numbers from 1 to 69 and one Powerball number from 1 to 26 (or opt for a Lucky Dip). Allwyn said UK winners of the shared jackpot are paid over 30 years. The UK game also adds a ‘Match 2 main numbers’ prize tier exclusive to UK players, with a fixed £8 prize, while the ‘Match 5 main numbers’ tier offers a fixed £1 million.

Allwyn cited new research of 2,000 UK adults suggesting large jackpots could influence consumer intentions around spending and giving. Andy Carter, Senior Winners’ Advisor at Allwyn, said: “I’ve seen first-hand how a big win can transform lives. But when people start imagining jackpots in the hundreds of millions of pounds, the conversation changes.

“People move beyond buying a bigger house or taking a dream holiday and start thinking about making a difference, whether that’s supporting loved ones, helping their local community, backing a cause they care about or turning a lifelong dream into reality.

“Powerball Money brings a whole new level of possibility to UK players. It’s a chance to win the biggest jackpot ever offered through The National Lottery and to dream bigger than ever before.”

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