Can Foreigners Play US Powerball?

Have you have ever wondered: "Do you have to be a US citizen to win the lottery?" "Can foreigners play Powerball?" or even "Can non-US citizens play Powerball?" We have the answers! You will be glad to learn that participation in American lotteries is open to everyone. You don’t have to be an American citizen to play Powerball!

Americans may not be too excited about the fact that some of the local lottery prizes are often won by foreigners, however, there are enough prizes for everyone! And, although the biggest lottery jackpots in history were won by players from the United States, they are not exclusively the only big lottery winners.

Can You Play Powerball From Another Country?

While it's true that the biggest jackpot of all time worth US$2.04 billion went to a single winner from the United States, Edwin Castro, in November 2022; and the previous record of US$1.58 billion from January 2016, was shared by three American players- in both historic draws there were many other players from outside the United States who won incredible Powerball prizes.

In fact, in the same 2016 record-breaking 2016 draw, one of our players at LottoSmile won a US$1 million second-tier prize. And he was not from the United States but from El Salvador! (See his story below.)

It's a fact: US Powerball winners can indeed be foreigners!

Can Foreigners Play Powerball and Other US Lotteries? Absolutely!

Here are some amazing stories of foreigners who won huge American lottery prizes without ever stepping foot in the US to purchase their tickets in person. All of whom made the fortuitous decision of purchasing their tickets at LottoSmile - a reputable online lottery ticket purchasing service:

El Salvador Pensioner Wins a US$1 Million Powerball Prize

H.V. is a 73-year-old pensioner from El Salvador in Central America. He has many grandchildren, and even three great-grandchildren, some of whom live in California. The soft-spoken man and his wife get by on a small pension, and for years they’ve wanted nothing more than to visit their great-grandchildren in America. After H. won US$1 million in the Powerball, he finally has sufficient means to make this dream come true.

H. correctly guessed the five main numbers and scooped up the second prize – he was just a single Powerball number removed from sharing in the US$1.586 billion jackpot.

Do you have to be a US citizen to play Powerball? H.V. certainly gave us the answer! You can play Powerball from any country, at any time, by purchasing lottery tickets online.

Iraqi Player Wins a US$6.4 Million Oregon MegaBucks Jackpot

Baghdad resident M.M. had been playing lotteries online for only a short time when he purchased tickets to the Oregon Megabucks lottery. In a fateful draw that took place in August 2015, the Iraqi was sole winner of the lottery’s US$6.4 million jackpot. He won an American jackpot prize without ever leaving his home in Iraq! This story was so incredible, so unique, that it was reported in the international media over and over. Respected news sources such as the New York Times, the Daily Mail, CBS, NBC, the Associated Press, and more all noted that it was perfectly legal for foreigners to win American lottery prizes by purchasing official tickets online at LottoSmile.

Winner From Panama Takes Home a US$30 Million American Jackpot

Despite being retired, A.D. from Panama had continued working to support her kids. She had only been playing with LottoSmile for about two months before she scored her big win — the first place prize in the Florida Lotto. A.D. was the sole jackpot winner in a July 2017 draw, entitling her to the entire US$30 million jackpot, less taxes.

Is it Legal to Play American Lotteries Online from Overseas? Yes!

Yes it is! As the official Powerball website states "If you legally purchase a Powerball ticket, you can play the game and you can collect prizes. You do not have to be a citizen or a resident to play the game." Players from all over the world can win the biggest Powerball lottery jackpots and huge prizes when playing Powerball!

Lottery ticket messenger services, of which LottoSmile is the oldest and most established, buy official Powerball tickets on behalf of their customers. After the tickets are purchased, the courier service scans them and then uploads them to an encrypted online account, which can only be accessed by the player. Secondary prizes are credited to players’ accounts shortly after they have been received from the lottery operator. If the player wins a big prize, he or she may need to fly to the US to personally collect it. When you win a huge American lottery jackpot, ordering your flights and checking that your passport/visa is up-to-date are just bureaucratic necessities on your way to lottery riches!

In summary, if you're asking, "Can you play Powerball if you are not a US citizen?", the answer is a most definite "Yes!". Lottery fans everywhere should have no hesitation about purchasing their tickets online as it is perfectly legal for foreigners to play and win American lotteries. Good luck to all!