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Powerball is now at $625 million for March 23, 2019 — the fourth-largest Powerball jackpot in history. So you’re likely wanting to buy at least one ticket for the big drawing, since more and more people are going to be participating. But just how late can you get a ticket? If it’s getting later and you’ve started getting that rushed panicky feeling, worrying that you might run out of time, then this article is for you. Just how close can you push buying a ticket before it’s too late? When do they stop selling tickets in March 2019? The drawing is at 10:59 p.m. Eastern every Saturday and Wednesday, and most states will stop selling tickets 59 minutes before the drawing, but this can vary from state to state. Here are the exact times per state when ticket sales stop the night of the drawing, according to state lottery sites and LotteryHub. Remember: Alabama, Alaska, Hawaii, Mississippi, Nevada, and Utah all don’t participate in the Mega Millions lottery or the Powerball, so you won’t find them listed here.
You might still want to call your local retailer to make sure the retailers near you are not closing sales early for any reason if you’re making a last-minute purchase. And all times are subject to change. These are listed in alphabetical order by state:
- Arizona: “6:59 p.m. Arizona time from the second Sunday in March through the first Saturday in November, and at 7:59 p.m. Arizona time from the first Sunday in November through the second Saturday in March” (per ArizonaLottery.com)
- Arkansas: Sales end one hour before the drawing.
- California: 7 p.m. Pacific the day of the drawing.
- Colorado: Sales are suspended on draw day from 7:30 to 7:33 p.m. Mountain time. Sales are also suspended every night at 11:59 p.m. for system balancing. Powerball tickets can’t be redeemed until 9 p.m. after the drawing. You can buy tickets up to 13 weeks in advance.
- Connecticut: You can buy tickets until 9:59 p.m. Eastern, an hour before the drawing. (Some sources say 10 p.m. Eastern.)
- Delaware: Play up until 9:45 p.m. on draw days.
- Florida: 10 p.m. Eastern the night of the drawing.
- Georgia: Tickets are sold from 5 a.m. until 10 p.m. on the days they are drawn (Wed. & Sat.) and until 1 a.m. on all other days.
- Idaho: This state closes ticket sales a little earlier. According to the Idaho Lottery site, you can buy until one hour and five minutes before the drawing the night of the draw. (The drawing is at 8:59 p.m MT.) One hour before the drawing, sales resume for the next Powerball.
- Illinois: Most retailers stop selling an hour before the drawing.
- Indiana: 9:59 p.m. Eastern.
- Iowa: 8:59 p.m. Central (some sources say 9 p.m.)
- Kansas: Most places stop an hour before the drawing, but call first to make sure.
- Kentucky: 10 p.m. Eastern.
- Louisiana: 9 p.m. (After 9, tickets are valid for the next drawing, not that night’s.)
- Maine: 9:50 p.m. Eastern
- Maryland: 10 p.m. Eastern
- Massachusetts: 9:50 p.m. Eastern
- Michigan: 9:45 p.m. Eastern
- Minnesota: 9 p.m. on drawing days. (Lottery terminals operate from 5 a.m. to midnight.)
- Missouri: Sales stop from 8:59 to 10 p.m. on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
- Montana: 8 p.m. Mountain, the day of the drawing.
- Nebraska: 9 p.m. Central, the day of the drawing.
- New Hampshire: 9:50 p.m. Eastern
- New Jersey: 10 p.m. Eastern
- New Mexico: 8 p.m. Mountain
- New York: 9 p.m. Eastern
- North Carolina: The deadline for purchasing a ticket is 9:59 p.m Eastern on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
- North Dakota: 9 p.m. Central
- Ohio: 10 p.m. Eastern
- Oklahoma: 9 p.m. Central
- Oregon: The drawing is at 7:59 p.m. Pacific, and the last time to buy a ticket is 7 p.m. Pacific.
- Pennsylvania: 10 p.m. Eastern
- Rhode Island: 9:50 p.m. Eastern
- South Carolina: 10 p.m. Eastern
- South Dakota: 9 p.m. Central.
- Tennessee: 10 p.m. Eastern (some areas are in the Central time zone, however)
- Texas: Ticket sales aren’t available during the draw break from 9 p.m. to 10:15 p.m. Central. Drawings are broadcast at 10:12 p.m. Central.
- Vermont: 9:50 p.m. Eastern
- Virginia: The cutoff on draw days is 10 p.m. Eastern.
- Washington: 6:45 p.m. Pacific.
- Washington D.C.: 9:45 p.m Eastern
- West Virginia: 10 p.m. Eastern
- Wisconsin: 9 p.m. Central.
- Wyoming: Draw breaks happen at 7:59 p.m. on drawing night.
The sooner you can get your ticket the better, especially in case you’re one of the unlucky people who has to wait in a long line. Powerball tickets are typically sold in most local convenience stores and grocery stores. But you might want to give the store a call first to make sure they sell the ticket, and then ask them how late the tickets are offered for sale. Remember: tickets can be bought in 44 states, plus Washington D.C., Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Tonight’s Powerball is expected to reach at least $625 million. The cash value is $380.6 million. This isn’t close to being the largest Powerball in history, which was more than $1 billion in January 2016. However, this is only the fourth time in Powerball in history that the jackpot passed the $600 million mark. It’s also the seventh-largest jackpot in U.S. lottery history, and the largest jackpot so far in 2019.
It only costs $2 to play Powerball, with an extra $1 if you choose the Powerplay option. The odds of winning the jackpot are 292,201,338 to 1, which is better than the Mega Millions odds of 302,575,350 to 1.
READ NEXT: Watch the Powerball drawing live online right here.