The £318million question: If the National Lottery’s Powerball jackpot is won by a Briton it would represent the biggest ticket prize ever scooped up in the UK

DAILYMAIL.COM • 6h ago

By GETHIN HICKS, REPORTER 11:54 19 Oct 2026, updated 19:11 19 Oct 2026

The National Lottery’s Powerball jackpot has reached a staggering £318million – meaning a winner would scoop the biggest prize in British history.

Powerball sees Britons pay £4 per line to compete with their US counterparts for the chance to win jackpots that can balloon into the billions, paid out over 30 years.

The jackpot this week has grown to an astonishing £318million following the latest rollover, giving players the chance to eclipse the reported fortunes of stars such as Leonardo DiCaprio, Denzel Washington and Robbie Williams.

The biggest Powerball prize ever won was an astonishing £1.53billion, scooped by a player in California in November 2022.

Lines are expected to close this evening at 11.55pm ahead of tomorrow’s draw. If there is no winner, the jackpot will grow even further before another draw on Thursday.

But how exactly would hopeful Britons spend their millions?

Research conducted by the National Lottery this week found that 97 per cent of people would share their new-found fortune with others, while six in ten revealed they would offer their partner a share of the winnings.

That compares with the measly 52 per cent who said they would share the £318million with their children. On the other hand, 47 per cent of the 2,000 surveyed told how they would offer their parents a chunk of the money.

One in ten, meanwhile, said they would extend their generosity beyond a circle of their family and friends.

Andy Carter, senior winners’ adviser at Allwyn, operator of The National Lottery, said: ‘We all do it. Close our eyes and start spending a jackpot win as soon as we’ve purchased our ticket. And with a Powerball jackpot of £318million currently up for grabs, it’s no surprise people are daydreaming about how a truly life-changing sum could transform their lives.

‘And those dreams often go far beyond what they’d buy. Whether it’s snapping up the house next door so we can choose our neighbours, never having to queue again or helping loved ones, a big win clearly gets the imagination going.

‘While people may admit to a little harmless playfulness when imagining life as a millionaire, the research shows generosity remains a huge part of the dream, with most people saying they’d share their winnings with family, friends and the people who matter most to them.’

Powerball is played for £4 per line, with players choosing five numbers from 1 to 69 and one Powerball number from 1 to 26 – or leaving it to a Lucky Dip.

To win the jackpot, players must match all five main numbers and the Powerball.

The UK version also has a special extra prize tier, giving players £8 for matching just two main numbers.

Unlike the traditional National Lottery, the Powerball jackpot is paid to a UK winner over 30 years.

Draws take place around 4am UK time on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays from the Powerball studio in Florida.

The jackpot is shared between winning players in the US and UK, although the advertised UK figure is calculated as the estimated amount paid to most UK winners over 30 years after UK taxes.

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