Powerball has officially expanded to the United Kingdom, enabling British players to purchase tickets for the first time and potentially accelerating jackpot growth. The expansion took effect with the July 23 drawing through an agreement between the Multi-State Lottery Association and Allwyn UK, the operator of the U.K. National Lottery. This marks the first occasion a non-U.S. lottery has contributed to the Powerball jackpot.

The inclusion of the U.K. introduces a larger player base to the game, which officials expect will help jackpots increase more rapidly between drawings. Rebecca Paul, president and CEO of the Tennessee Lottery and former president of the World Lottery Association, said in a statement that the move “brings us closer to a thrilling milestone for Powerball,” highlighting that more participants typically lead to faster-growing jackpots, increased excitement, and greater community benefits.

Powerball tickets in the United Kingdom are priced at 4 pounds (approximately $5.33), compared to $2 in the United States. U.K. players will compete for the same shared jackpot, with their ticket purchases contributing directly to it; however, smaller prizes are administered separately by the U.K. National Lottery. U.K. jackpot winners will receive their prizes through annual payments over 30 years, aligning with the U.K. prize structure, unlike American winners who may choose between a lump sum or a 30-year annuity.

For U.S. players, the game’s format and costs remain unchanged. Tickets will continue to cost $2, and drawings will be held every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday. Players will select five white balls from 1 through 69 and one red Powerball from 1 through 26. The odds of winning the jackpot stay at 1 in 292.2 million, and the overall odds of winning any prize remain 1 in 24.9.

Officials emphasized that more than half of every ticket sold within the United States will continue to support state-specific programs, including education, scholarships, veteran services, and parks and recreation. The addition of the U.K. brings the total number of lotteries contributing to the Powerball jackpot to 49.

With a broader international player base, the Powerball jackpot is expected to grow more quickly when there are no grand prize winners, due to the increased volume of ticket sales across both countries. This expansion represents a significant step in Powerball’s history and may reshape the landscape of large-scale lottery jackpots globally.