California Powerball Rules
In California, Powerball is played in the same way as any other state, with the following exceptions. See the How to Play page if you want further information about how to enter Powerball draws.
- You must be at least 18 years of age to play.
- You can play up to 10 draws in advance.
- Prizes are calculated on a pari-mutuel basis, meaning that they depend on the number of tickets sold and the number of winners. This means that they may differ from the prizes quoted in other states.
- Power Play is not offered in California.
- You will not have to pay any state taxes on your winnings, although federal taxes will still be taken.
- The California Lottery allows group play and multiple ownership claims of up to 100 players.
Prizes
State law dictates that CA Powerball prizes must all be calculated on a pari-mutuel basis, meaning that they depend on how many tickets are sold and how many winners there are. As a result, the prize amounts may differ to those awarded in other states. The table below shows how the total prize pool is split:
| Prize Category | Percentage of Prize Pool Allocated |
|---|---|
| 5 + Powerball | 60.0% to 68.0% |
| 5 | 8.6% |
| 4 + Powerball | 2.2% |
| 4 | 1.1% |
| 3 + Powerball | 1.1% |
| 3 | 1.3% |
| 2 + Powerball | 1.2% |
| 1 + Powerball | 5.5% |
| 0 + Powerball | 11.0% |
| Prize Reserve | 0.0% to 8.0% |
The percentage allocated to the jackpot and the prize reserve changes depending on the size of the jackpot for the previous draw. When the annuitized jackpot is worth $120 million or less, 68 percent of the prize fund is allocated to the jackpot and nothing is allocated to the prize fund. When the jackpot is more than $120 million but less than or equal to $250 million, 64 percent of the prize fund is allocated to the jackpot and four percent to the prize reserve. Finally, when the jackpot exceeds $250 million, at least 60 percent is allocated to the top prize and eight percent to the reserve fund.
Power Play
California is the only state that does not allow players to add Power Play to their tickets. This is because it is incompatible with the pari-mutuel prize structure. Multiplying prizes by a fixed amount, as the Power Play does, means that the final prize value is no longer based on the number of ticket sales and winners in each category. As long as California pays out prizes on a pari-mutuel basis, the Power Play will not be available to players in the state.
How to Claim Prizes
Prizes worth up to $599 can be claimed from any licensed lottery retailer in California. For prizes over this amount, you must complete a California Lottery claim form and take it to one of the District Offices below. Office hours are Monday to Friday between 8:00am and 5:00pm Pacific Time, excluding holidays.
| Location | Address | Telephone No |
|---|---|---|
| Chatsworth | 9710 Topanga Canyon Blvd Chatsworth, CA 91311 | (818) 722-1602 |
| Costa Mesa | 235 Baker Street East Costa Mesa, CA 92626 | (714) 716-4076 |
| Fresno | 7620 North Del Mar Avenue Fresno, CA 93711 | (559) 449-2430 |
| Milpitas | 900 Hanson Court Milpitas, CA 95035 | (408) 214-4204 |
| Rancho Cucamonga | 11138 Elm Avenue Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730 | (909) 803-6232 |
| Richmond | 618 South 8th Street, Suite 300A Richmond, CA 94804 | (510) 806-8960 |
| Sacramento | 4106 East Commerce Way Sacramento, CA 95834 | (916) 830-0292 |
| Santa Fe Springs | 9807 Bell Ranch Drive Santa Fe Springs, CA 90670 | (562) 777-3434 |
| San Diego | 5656 Ruffin Road San Diego, CA 92123 | (858) 492-1700 |
Alternatively, you can claim prizes of any value by mail. You need to fill in a claim form and send it to the following address, along with your winning ticket:
California Lottery,
730 North 10th Street,
Sacramento, CA 95811
Prizes claimed through the California Lottery can take up to six weeks to process.
Claiming With a Lottery Pool
When paying out multiple ownership claims (such as for a lottery pool), the California Lottery will pay each claimant directly when the prize is worth $1 million or more. When it is less than this, the entire amount will be paid to one member, who will then need to arrange the distribution of the winnings to the other members of the group.
Claim Period
Powerball jackpot prizes must be claimed within one year of the winning draw, and all other prizes must be claimed within 180 days. The winning ticket and the requisite claim form must be received by the California Lottery before this date, or postmarked before this date if you claim by mail. Prize money that is not claimed in this period is allocated to public education.
Lost and Damaged Tickets
If your Powerball ticket has been lost or stolen, or damaged beyond legibility, you should call the California Lottery Security and Law Enforcement toll-free on 800-LOTTERY (800-568-8379) as soon as possible. You will be asked to provide details about the ticket, including when and where you bought it, when it was lost or stolen, and, if it is a winning ticket, the prize amount.
If lottery staff can find the ticket on their systems and they are satisfied that you are the rightful owner, the ticket will be placed on a security hold and you will be given further instructions to resolve the claim.
Going Public
California does not allow lottery winners to remain anonymous in the event of a big win. If you do win a large prize on Powerball, your full name will be public record, as will be the name and location of the retailer from which you bought your ticket, the date on which you won, and the amount you won. Other details about you will not be disclosed unless it is legally required.
While you are not obligated to speak to the media after any jackpot win, lottery officials will guide you through the process if you decide to do so. California Lottery regulations prevent you from claiming prizes as a trust, which is how some winners in other states preserve their anonymity.
Where Does the Money Go?
Ninety-five cents from every dollar spent on lottery tickets in California is given back to the community in the form of prize money, funding for education, and compensation for retailers. The California Lottery has contributed more than $39 billion to public education since 1985, providing important funding for institutions at all levels, from K-12 right through to Community Colleges and universities.
The State Controller’s Office (SCO) determines how much money each school district or county will receive at the end of every quarter, and this is then allocated to each district through the State’s Department of Education and County Superintendents. School boards in each district decide how their share of the money will be spent; the California Lottery has no input into this process.
The other five percent of revenue from ticket sales is used to cover costs and operating expenses. Here’s a breakdown of how lottery revenue is spent in the state of California:
| Area of Spending | Percentage of Revenue |
|---|---|
| Prizes | 63.0% |
| Operating income to education | 24.9% |
| Retailer costs | 6.9% |
| Operating expenses | 3.4% |
| Game costs | 1.8% |
Money from other sources, such as unclaimed prizes and administrative savings, are also passed on to public education in California. This amounts to tens of millions of dollars every year.
California Powerball Winners
California was a relative latecomer to Powerball, joining the game in April 2013 as its 45th participant. Since then, however, players from the state have claimed billions of dollars in prizes, and none have come bigger than the $2.04 billion that was paid out to a single ticket holder in November 2022. It was the largest jackpot ever seen in Powerball history, after a run of 40 draws without a winner. The winning ticket was sold at Joe’s Service Center in Altadena, and the lump sum option for the draw was $997 million. Edwin Castro claimed the money after a three-month wait, electing to take the cash option. He said he was happy to see California’s public school system receive $156.3 million from the jackpot roll sequence.
Another player from the Golden State won $1.76 billion less than a year later in October 2023, with a ticket bought at Midway Market and Liquor in Frazier Park, Kern County. This jackpot came after a run of 35 drawings without a winner. Approximately five months later, the grand prize was claimed in March 2024 by Theodorus Struyck, a representative of a group of winners.
California also claimed a share of the $1.58 billion jackpot from January 2016. Marvin and Mae Acosta of Chino Hills took six months to come forward with the third and final jackpot-winning ticket from the January 13th draw, and they took home a cash lump sum of $327 million. The couple declined to speak to the media but released a statement when they made themselves known, saying: “We are thankful and blessed for the rare gift that has been placed in our care. While we are very grateful for the wonderful wishes and encouragement we've received, it is not our intention to become public figures.”
Another billion-dollar jackpot was also won in California on July 19, 2023. The grand prize was worth $1.08 billion and it was sold in Los Angeles, at Las Palmitas Mini Market. The prize was claimed by Yanira Alvarez and she chose the cash value option of $558.1 million, before federal taxes.
Scott Godfrey, from Morro Bay, won a jackpot of $699.8 million in October 2021 after buying 10 Quick Picks from the local Albertsons Supermarket. He said he would use the money to help others, setting up a charitable foundation within days of claiming the money. By the time he came forward, he had already donated a car full of toys to KSBY’s Season of Hope toy drive.
