Powerball ticket sales usually stop about 1–2 hours before the drawing time, but the exact cutoff depends on the state where you’re buying the ticket.
Key timing facts
- Powerball drawings are held at 10:59 p.m. Eastern Time on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Many states stop sales roughly 1–2 hours before the drawing; in some Eastern and Central states this is often around 9:45–10:00 p.m. ET or 8:59 p.m. CT, while some Mountain/Pacific states may cut off earlier in the evening.
- Because each state sets its own deadline and some online or app-based services cut off even earlier than retailers, the safest move is to check your state lottery’s official website or a local retailer for the exact cutoff time before the next drawing.
