So here’s a scenario for you to ponder:
If I win the Powerball jackpot, that means I got 5 numbers correct plus the correct PowerBall number. But what this also means is that I meet the requirements of the lesser prizes too. In other words, I got 5 out of 5 right which would earn me $1,000,000 per the PowerBall prize structure. I also got 4 out of 5 right plus the PowerBall number, which would win me $50,000 per the payout prize structure. Plus 3 out of 5 and all of the lesser prizes down the line.
So the question is: because I actually met the requirements for all of these lesser prizes, do I also win these lesser prizes? Well, I can answer this question from experience (and NO, I didn’t win a PowerBall jackpot grand prize – at least not as of this writing). The experience I had was similar but just on a smaller scale.
I successfully won $100 on the PowerBall drawing using my son’s birthday numbers. Per the rules, in order to win $100 you need to have 3 of the 5 numbers correct, as well as pick the PowerBall number correctly. This is what I did. So the question was since I also had 3 of 5 numbers correct without the Powerball number, the winning prize for that combination is $7.00. $7.00 is also the payout I earn if I have 2 of 5 numbers with the correct PowerBall number, which was obviously a combination that I also had.
Additionally, I had the other two lesser combinations which would total $8.00. All totaled, I had $122.00 in winning combinations on this one ticket. When I went to pick up my winnings, guess how much I got?
$100.
It turns out that the lottery prizes (at least for the PowerBall drawing and the Mega Millions drawings) are set to specific amounts depending on your combination of numbers. If your combination of numbers meets the requirements for the 3 out of 5 numbers prize, then you qualify to win that prize and that prize only. Thusly, if you win the grand prize jackpot, you will win that prize and that prize only (but I’m assuming most people won’t complain if the only prize they win totals several million dollars).
Now there are ways to increase the set prize winnings if you want to add multipliers. These multipliers cost additional money, and they are applicable to all of the prizes except for the grand prize. It should be noted that if you pay extra money for the multipliers and your numbers don’t get drawn, you get no money from the multipliers either.
NOTE: There is no option that you can use to increase the grand prize if you win (people have mistakenly thought that a multiplier was applicable if you hit the grand prize – but no).
Also, there are games that do take into account that you have different number combinations in the same game, and those number combinations result in cumulative prize winnings (the different numbers increase the standard prize to a higher prize). But this depends entirely on the game played and the state that offers the game.
Long story short: If you win $50 million in the PowerBall jackpot after taxes, unfortunately, you will only be eligible for $50 million. I can’t express how deeply I will feel bad for you, but I have the sincere faith that you will manage to struggle through with your meager prize. Or if you really want to win those smaller prizes too, I guess you can just keep playing, right?
Does this answer a question for you? Did you think you would win multiple prizes or did you just assume that the one prize was the only prize?