Over 30% of every £4 Powerball line bought in the UK goes to National Lottery good causes in the UK: more than £1.20 a line, a bigger share than from any other National Lottery game, and none of it goes to American causes. On average 41.2% pays for prizes, 12% is Lottery Duty, 20p goes to the shop that sold the line and the rest covers the cost of running the game. Allwyn expects Powerball to raise around £1 billion more for UK good causes over its first five years.
Where a £4 line goes
| Where it goes | Share | Per £4 line |
|---|---|---|
| Prizes | 41.2% on average | About £1.65 |
| … of which the jackpot shared with the US | 13.6% | About 54p |
| UK good causes | Over 30% | Over £1.20 |
| Lottery Duty, paid to the government | 12% | 48p |
| Retailer commission (shop sales) | 5% | 20p |
| Allwyn's costs and profit, and MUSL's participation fee | The rest | No official breakdown |
These are averages: what's paid out in a given draw depends on how many winners there are. The jackpot share is set in Powerball's licence at an assumed exchange rate of 80p to the dollar, so in pounds it moves with the rate. No official breakdown of the rest has been published.
Prizes: 41.2% on average
On average 41.2% of Powerball sales is paid out in prizes. Part of it, 13.6% of UK sales, goes into the jackpot shared with the US: each £4 UK line adds the same fixed US-dollar amount to the jackpot as a $2 American ticket.
The rest of the prize money, about 27.6% of UK sales, pays the UK-only prizes, from £8 for Match 2 to £1 million for Match 5. Those prizes are funded by UK sales alone; the US has its own lower prizes, fixed in dollars and paid from American sales. Each shared UK tier gets a set percentage of the draw's sales, from 0.8% for Match 4 to 7.8% for the Powerball on its own. More in Powerball prizes.
Over 30% for UK good causes, none for the US
Allwyn says over 30% of the price of each Powerball line goes to UK good causes, and the Gambling Commission confirms that none of the money UK players pay goes to American good causes. The National Lottery says Powerball sends more to good causes from each ticket than its other games do: across all National Lottery games, the government puts the average at about 23p in every £1.
Allwyn expects Powerball to raise around £1 billion more for UK good causes over its first five years, part of its aim to double the National Lottery's returns to good causes from £30 million to £60 million a week by 2034. In 2025, £1.7 billion of National Lottery money was granted to good causes.
Who decides where the money goes
The National Lottery doesn't choose the projects itself. By law the money is split 20% for the arts, 20% for sport, 20% for heritage and 40% for charities, health, education and the environment, the last share through The National Lottery Community Fund.
It's passed to twelve independent organisations, each responsible for its own area, some for the whole UK and others for one nation, and each running its own grant programmes:
- Arts and film: Arts Council England, Arts Council of Wales, Arts Council of Northern Ireland, Creative Scotland and the British Film Institute.
- Heritage: The National Lottery Heritage Fund.
- Communities and charities: The National Lottery Community Fund.
- Sport: UK Sport, Sport England, sportscotland, Sport Wales and Sport Northern Ireland.
From village halls and local sports clubs to museums, historic buildings and elite athletes, you can look up the projects near you at lotterygoodcauses.org.uk.
Lottery Duty, retailers and running costs
Lottery Duty is a tax of 12% on National Lottery sales, paid to the government; The National Lottery is the only lottery that pays it. Shops earn 20p for every Powerball line they sell. The rest covers Allwyn's cost of running the game, its profit and the participation fee it pays MUSL, the American association that runs Powerball; the Gambling Commission describes that fee as capped and set as a percentage of UK sales. No official breakdown of these is published.
Why does a UK line cost £4 when an American one costs $2? The Gambling Commission calls the price “a commercial decision”. A UK line pays the same into the jackpot as an American one, and also pays for the UK-only lower prizes, including Match 2, over 30% for good causes and 12% Lottery Duty. The full comparison is in Powerball UK vs US.
Unclaimed prizes go to good causes too
Prizes that aren't claimed within 180 days of the draw are forfeited, and the money goes to National Lottery good causes. If a Powerball jackpot is ever left unclaimed, the UK receives a share of it in proportion to its sales for that draw or run of rollovers, and that share goes the same way. It's a good reason to check every ticket, but not a reason to leave a win unclaimed: see how to claim a Powerball prize.
Which entries fund good causes
Good causes receive their share from National Lottery entries. A bet on the result of the US draw, such as the ones Lottofy offers, is a different product: it's placed with a betting company licensed by the Gambling Commission and isn't part of The National Lottery, so its stake doesn't go to UK good causes. If funding good causes matters to you, play with a National Lottery ticket.
Good causes aren't a reason to spend more
It's good to know your line does some good, but it's still gambling: set your budget as you would for any other game. If supporting a cause is what matters most to you, giving to it directly means all of your money reaches it. For help keeping your play in check, see responsible gambling.
Frequently asked questions
How much of a Powerball ticket goes to good causes in the UK?
Over 30% of each £4 line, so more than £1.20, according to Allwyn. That's a bigger share than from any other National Lottery game.
Does UK Powerball money go to American good causes?
No. The Gambling Commission confirms that none of the money UK players pay goes to US good causes: the good-causes share of every UK line funds UK projects.
How much of a UK Powerball line goes into the jackpot?
13.6% of UK sales, about 54p a line at the licence's assumed rate of 80p to the dollar. Each UK line adds the same fixed dollar amount to the shared jackpot as an American ticket.
Why does Powerball cost £4 in the UK and $2 in the US?
The Gambling Commission calls it a commercial decision. A UK line also pays for UK-only prizes, including £8 for Match 2, over 30% for UK good causes and 12% Lottery Duty.
What happens to unclaimed Powerball prizes?
After 180 days they're forfeited and the money goes to National Lottery good causes.
Last reviewed: . Independent information: official results are published by the lottery that runs the game.