Mark your calendar: Powerball X's & O's kicks off September 8

A new season means a new way to play. On September 8, 2026, Powerball Xs & Os will launch, a multi-state game built around America's favorite sport. Instead of picking numbers, you're picking teams. Instead of watching the scoreboard, you're watching the live drawing.

What makes this game different?

Most lottery games hand you a grid of numbers. This one hands you the NFL.

Players select 8 team logos from all 32 teams in the league. Not sure who to pick? A Quick Pick option fills your slip at the retailer counter.

Here's the part that matters most: the results have nothing to do with what happens on the field. No Sunday scores, no standings, no upsets. A random drawing decides which 8 teams win each week, so a last-place team has the same shot as a Super Bowl contender.

The essentials

Want to play? Here's what you need to know.

• On sale: Tuesday, September 8, 2026.
• Where: Retailers nationwide (check with your state).
• Cost: $5 per play.
• Team selection: Pick 8 logos yourself or use Quick Pick.
• Winning: Match 4+ drawn logos for a cash prize; match all 8 for the jackpot.
• Jackpot: Opens at $1 million and climbs with every unclaimed drawing.
• First draw: Sunday, September 13, 2026.
• Draw time: Sundays at roughly 9:00 p.m. CT.
• Sales cutoff: 7:58:50 p.m. CT on draw days.
• Odds of winning any prize: About 1 in 12.16.

You can lock in up to 10 consecutive drawings on a single ticket, with the price adjusting to match.

The jackpot isn't the only prize

A $1 million starting jackpot gets attention, but X's & O's builds in a second layer of rewards.

Every ticket you buy, win or lose, converts into entries for a separate promotional drawing. The math is simple: $1 spent equals 1 entry. A $5 ticket earns 5 shots at these prizes:

• Gift cards to the NFL Shop.
• Jerseys and team gear.
• Tickets to NFL games and events.
• Super Bowl trip packages.
• Other football-themed experiences and rewards.

Claiming extra prizes

Getting into the promotional drawings takes one extra step beyond buying a ticket.

1. Set up an account. Starting September 8, you can register for free on the official Powerball website.
2. Pick a drawing. Choose which promotional drawing you want to enter.
3. Don't wait too long. You have 90 days from your ticket's drawing date, or from the final drawing date printed on it, to submit your entry.

To enter the national promotional drawings, you must have a Powerball account. Full rules, prize details, and eligibility requirements will be posted on the official Powerball website closer to launch.

Why it's worth watching

Powerball X's & O's turns every football Sunday into a second event. You're not predicting outcomes or tracking stats; you're just seeing whether your teams get called. That's a low bar to clear for a shot at a seven-figure jackpot or a trip to the Super Bowl.