$50 Million Powerball: The Thursday Night Game-Changer

The stakes are bigger this week, with Powerball climbing to an incredible $50 million for Draw 1556. Entries close Thursday, March 12, 2026 at 7:27pm AEST (8:27pm AEDT) on Oz Lotteries. That’s the kind of jackpot that gets the whole country talking, as players start imagining what they’d do with a prize that size.

What is Powerball?

Powerball is Australia’s biggest jackpotting lottery, famous for life-changing prizes and record-breaking wins. Not to be confused with the American version, Australia’s Powerball guarantees a minimum Division 1 prize pool of $5 Million each week. 

How to Play Powerball

Here’s all you need to do:

1. First, decide how you want to play- here are a number of different ways. You can choose from a standard entry (pick your numbers or a QuickPick), System, System Pick, PowerHit, PowerHit System, and PowerHit Pick entry. You can learn more about these different types of entries in this blog story here or further below.
2. Choose your numbers: You need to choose 7 numbers from 1 to 35 for each game panel.
3. Choose 1 Powerball number: from 1 to 20 for each game panel.
4. Purchase your ticket: You can buy your Powerball ticket online or through the Oz Lotteries mobile app and even make it a weekly recurring purchase by choosing an AutoPlay.
5. Enter the draw: before 7:27pm AEST (8:27pm AEDT) when entries close on Oz Lotteries, ahead of the results being drawn at 8:30pm AEST (9:30pm AEDT).

Then all you have to do is sit tight until Thursday night’s results, when the draw decides if you’re Australia’s next multi-millionaire. 

• Want to increase your chances of winning? A PowerHit entry guarantees you the winning Powerball number by automatically playing every possible Powerball number from 1 to 20.
• Want to ensure you never miss a Powerball draw? Set up an Autoplay, it’s quick and you can cancel any time. See our blog here to learn more about Autoplay and here for a step-by-step guide on how to set up AutoPlay.
  
  

What are the Different Ticket Types?

• Standard: one Powerball game is 7 numbers, from 1 to 35, and 1 Powerball number, from 1 to 20. You can have as many games as you want on a ticket.
• QuickPick: Let the system randomly generate your numbers.
• PowerHit: Guarantees you the Powerball number, so you only need to pick seven.
• System entry: Play more than 7 numbers (up to 20), covering more combinations and boosting your chances across multiple prize divisions.
• Lotto Party: Lotto Party is the easiest way to play your favourite lotto games with your friends. Each friend pays their share, which is put into a kitty to buy the ticket. The more who join, the more chances you have. If your ticket wins, we automatically split the prize between you and your friends.
• Syndicate: is a group of 10 people buying a ticket, where the cost of the ticket is shared equally among the members of the group. This allows you to get a larger combination of numbers and increase the chances of winning. If the syndicate wins, the prize money is equally divided among the syndicate members. 

How Powerball Works?

Two barrels holding your shot at the dream. Barrel One: Seven numbers drawn from 1 to 35. Barrel Two: One Powerball number is drawn from 1 to 20. There are nine prize divisions in total. Land two numbers plus the Powerball, and you’ve got yourself a prize. To score the jackpot, you’ll need all seven numbers and the Powerball number.

When Are Results Drawn?

Powerball numbers are drawn every Thursday night at 8:30pm AEST (9:30pm AEDT). You can watch them announced live on channel 7TWO, check them on the Oz Lotteries website and app or see them posted on our Facebook and Instagram. The good news is, you don’t have to hover over the screen waiting. If your ticket scores a win, we’ll tell you. Smaller prizes come with a handy email, while Division 1 winners receive a personal phone call that could be the most exciting call of your life. 

Why Is It Worth a Shot?

Powerball jackpots start at $5 Million and can soar to $150 million. This week it’s sitting at $50 Million, which is plenty to turn a regular Thursday into one you’ll never forget. Draw 1556 could be the moment you tell people about for years to come.

Who Won $50 Million Powerball?

Plenty of Aussies have seen their lives turned upside down in the best way possible thanks to a $50 million Powerball jackpot. These jackpots aren’t just headlines, they’ve really happened to regular Australians. We’ve had several of these lucky Powerball winners, including those who won $50 million. You can read about these winners below:

• $50 Million Powerball winner is an Oz Lotteries customer
• $50 Million Powerball winners put family first
• $50,000,000 Powerball winner gives back
• Aussie battlers win $50 million Powerball jackpot

Ready to Play?

Entries for Draw 1556 close 7:27pm AEST (8:27pm AEDT) Thursday March 12 2026 on Oz Lotteries. Don’t leave it too late, $50 Million is waiting. The chances of winning the grand prize are 1:134,490,400.