In the 45 states where Powerball is played and Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, you have to be careful because each state has its own rules and deadlines regarding when individuals need to buy their tickets. Yes, we realize that this can be confusing but rest assured, we pulled all that information together for you because no one likes to miss out on something big like a once-in-a-lifetime jackpot! And now, without further ado, below are the cut-off times around the country.
Powerball jackpots rollover and they get bigger with every passing drawing. So, the next time your state has a drawing that no one wins, you could discover that the prize money has doubled. Similarly, unless tickets are purchased well beforehand and in adequate quantities, long lines are also expected at outlets that sell Powerball lottery tickets. And if you’re a frequent Powerball ticket buyer or have plans to buy lottery tickets in your region, It’s best to get tickets early, so you don’t have to stress about lines before the Powerball lottery deadline arrives in your state.
Powerball drawings are held every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday at 10:59 p.m. ET. , and most states will stop selling tickets an hour before the drawing. However, this can differ from state to state. To help you out, we’ve compiled a list of the times per state when ticket sales stop the night of the drawing.
| States | Cutoff Time |
|---|---|
| Arizona | Draw night sales stop at 6:59 p.m. Arizona time from the 2nd Sunday in March through the 1st Saturday in November and at 7:59 p.m. Arizona time from the 1st Sunday in November through the 2nd Saturday in March. |
| Arkansas | 8:59 p.m. CT (9:59 p.m. ET) |
| California | 7 p.m. PT (10 p.m. ET) |
| Colorado | 7:30 p.m. MT (9:30 p.m. ET) |
| Connecticut | 10 p.m. ET |
| Delaware | 9:45 p.m. ET |
| Florida | 10 p.m. ET |
| Georgia | 10 p.m. ET |
| Idaho | 7:54 p.m. MT (9:54 p.m. ET) |
| Illinois | 8:59 p.m. CT (9:59 p.m. ET) |
| Indiana | 9:59 p.m. ET |
| Iowa | 8:59 p.m. CT (9:59 p.m. ET) |
| Kansas | 8:59 p.m. CT (9:59 p.m. ET) |
| Kentucky | 9 p.m. CT (10 p.m. ET) |
| Louisiana | 9 p.m. CT (10 p.m. ET) |
| Maine | 9:50 p.m. ET |
| Maryland | 10 p.m. ET |
| Massachusetts | 9:50 p.m. ET |
| Michigan | 9:45 p.m. ET |
| Minnesota | 9 p.m. CT (10 p.m. ET) |
| Missouri | 8:59 p.m. CT (9:59 p.m. ET) |
| Montana | 8 p.m. MT (10 p.m. ET) |
| Nebraska | 9 p.m. CT (10 p.m. ET) |
| New Hampshire | 9:50 p.m. ET |
| New Jersey | 9:59 p.m. ET |
| New Mexico | 8 p.m. MT (10 p.m. ET) |
| New York | 10 p.m. ET |
| North Carolina | 9:59 p.m. ET |
| North Dakota | 8:58 p.m. CT (9:58 p.m. ET) |
| Ohio | 10 p.m. ET |
| Oklahoma | 8:59 p.m. CT (9:59 p.m. ET) |
| Oregon | 7 p.m. PT (10 p.m. ET) |
| Pennsylvania | 9:59 p.m. ET |
| Rhode Island | 9:50 p.m. ET |
| South Carolina | 9:59 p.m. ET |
| South Dakota | 9 p.m. CT (10 p.m. ET) |
| Tennessee | 9 p.m. CT (10 p.m. ET) |
| Texas | 9 p.m. CT (10 p.m. ET) |
| Vermont | 9:50 p.m. ET |
| Virginia | 10 p.m. ET |
| Washington | 6:45 p.m. PT (9:45 p.m. ET) |
| Washington D.C. | 9:45 p.m. ET |
| West Virginia | 9:59 p.m. ET |
| Wisconsin | 9 p.m. CT (10 p.m. ET) |
| Wyoming | 7:59 p.m. MT (9:59 p.m. ET) |
Just remember: Alabama, Alaska, Hawaii, Mississippi, Nevada and Utah are not taking part in the Powerball lottery, so you won’t find them displayed here.
The sooner you get your ticket, the better. Hours before the drawing, lines of eager lottery players are typically seen at many of the local convenience stores and grocery stores where Powerball tickets are usually sold. The exact hours that sales remain open on this day may vary so be sure to give the store a call before purchasing a ticket if you want to make sure they’re available for sale and find out how late in advance they sell tickets from week to week.
