The entire island eagerly awaits the arrival of this Saturday, when the Powerball jackpot will be drawn, reaching an incredible figure of $1.23 billion, the fourth largest amount in the history of the lottery that originated in the United States.
Next, we do a brief review of the history of the popular lottery game:
1. When was Powerball founded?
The multinational lottery game originated in 1988, baptized at that time under the name Lotto América. Four years later, in 1992, it was renamed and acquired its Powerball name.
Powerball is coordinated by the Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL), a nonprofit organization founded and operated by agreement of the lotteries of the 34 member states and territories.
2. Where can you play Powerball?
Currently, Powerball is offered in 45 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands.
3. When did Powerball arrive in Puerto Rico?
Powerball arrived in Puerto Rico on October 1, 2014, making the island the first Spanish-speaking jurisdiction to be part of the MUSL.
4. Is the Powerball in Puerto Rico the same as the one in the United States?
Yes, it is the same lottery game, and it uses the same rules.
5. Have you won the Powerball jackpot in Puerto Rico?
In February 2015, a Puerto Rican from Ponce became a multimillionaire by winning $188 million. A few months later, another Puerto Rican won the full Powerball jackpot prize, taking home the $50 million purse. In December of last year, another Puerto Rican had the winning numbers to win the $150,000 prize in the drawing. On March 31, in Hatillo they won a secondary prize of $100,000.
6. When are the draws held?
Powerball drawings take place on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays. The next one is Saturday, April 6.
7. How much is the current prize?
The Powerball lottery jackpot reached $1.23 billion on Wednesday, the fourth-largest prize since it existed and the eighth-largest of all lottery prizes in the United States. If a winner emerges on Saturday, they will be able to opt for a single cash payment of $595.1 million.
8. Where can I check if I won?
It can be verified with the Official Electronic Lottery application, by scanning the play tickets, and the application will indicate if the ticket is awarded and how much it won. The winning numbers are also published on the official website (powerball.com) after each certified draw, as well as on the El Nuevo Día Lottery page where the results are also shown. Additionally, winning numbers can be verified by taking the ticket to any Lottery terminal for an attendant to verify.
9. Where are Powerball prizes collected?
Winners can claim any prize less than $1,200 at establishments authorized for the sale of Electronic Lottery. In the case of prizes greater than $1,200 and less than $25,000, they can be collected at Collections and Exchange Centers anywhere on the island. Any prize greater than $25,000 must be collected at the Electronic Lottery offices in Hato Rey, within a period of 180 days from the announcement of the winning numbers.