You're standing in a 7-Eleven line in Austin or maybe a H-E-B in Houston, clutching a five-dollar bill, wondering if today is the day your boss becomes a distant memory. We’ve all been there. But then the panic sets in—did I miss the cutoff? When is the next Powerball drawing in Texas anyway?
If you're looking at your watch right now on Saturday, January 17, 2026, you are literally down to the wire. The next drawing is happening tonight.
The balls drop at 9:59 p.m. CT, but the Texas Lottery has its own rhythm for how it broadcasts these things. Most folks just want to know if they can still buy a ticket. The short answer? Yes, but you need to move. Fast.
The Clock is Ticking: When is the next Powerball drawing in Texas?
The "official" drawing takes place in Tallahassee, Florida, but for us here in the Lone Star State, it’s all about the 9:00 p.m. CT sales cutoff.
If it’s 9:01 p.m. on a Monday, Wednesday, or Saturday, you aren't playing for tonight's jackpot. You're playing for the next one. That "draw break" is a hard rule. The machines literally stop processing Powerball tickets until the drawing is over.
Tonight, Saturday, January 17, 2026, the jackpot is sitting at a cool $179 million.
That is an estimated cash value of $80.8 million if you take the lump sum. Not too shabby for a Saturday night. While the actual drawing is at 9:59 p.m., the Texas Lottery usually broadcasts the results around 10:12 p.m. CT.
The Weekly Schedule You Need to Bookmark
Honestly, it's easier to just remember that Powerball happens three times a week. It used to be just Wednesdays and Saturdays, but they added Mondays a few years back to keep the jackpots growing faster.
- Mondays: 9:59 p.m. CT (Sales end at 9:00 p.m.)
- Wednesdays: 9:59 p.m. CT (Sales end at 9:00 p.m.)
- Saturdays: 9:59 p.m. CT (Sales end at 9:00 p.m.)
Sunday is your day of rest. No Powerball. No Mega Millions. Just vibes and maybe some scratch-offs if you're feeling it.
Why the 9:00 p.m. Cutoff is So Strict
You've probably wondered why they stop selling tickets a full hour before the drawing. It feels arbitrary. It’s not.
The Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL) has to sync up data from 45 states, D.C., Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Every single ticket sold has to be accounted for in a central database before those numbered balls start bouncing. It’s a massive security check to make sure nobody "buys" a winning ticket after the numbers are known.
If the system isn't 100% locked down, the draw doesn't happen. We saw this back in late 2022 when a 10-hour delay happened because one state couldn't process its sales data in time. Total mess.
How to Check Your Numbers Without Losing Your Mind
When the clock hits 10:12 p.m. in Texas, the results start trickling in. You have a few ways to see if you're the new local legend.
- The Official App: The Texas Lottery App is actually decent. You can scan your ticket directly. It’s better than squinting at a blurry screen.
- Local News: Most Texas stations (like KXAN in Austin or KHOU in Houston) will flash the numbers at the bottom of the screen during the 10:00 p.m. news.
- The Website: Texaslottery.com is the source of truth, but it can get slow when the jackpot hits a billion.
Just a heads up: a player in Texas just hit a $2 million prize on Mega Millions last night (Friday). Luck is clearly swirling around the state lately. Two other Texans won $1 million each in the Powerball drawing this past Wednesday, January 14.
The "Double Play" and "Power Play" Confusion
If you’re at the counter and the clerk asks "You want Power Play?" and you just nod because you're in a hurry, you're spending an extra dollar.
Power Play multiplies non-jackpot prizes. If you win $50,000 and the Power Play is 5x, you just made a quarter-million. It does not affect the jackpot.
Double Play is a Texas favorite. For an extra $1, your numbers get entered into a second drawing held right after the main one. The top prize for Double Play is $10 million. It’s basically a second chance to win with the same numbers.
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Tax Reality Check: The "Texas Perk"
Here is something most national articles forget to mention. Since we live in Texas, we have a massive advantage: No state income tax on lottery winnings.
If you win in New York, the state takes a huge bite out of your check. In Texas, you only owe the IRS. The feds will take 24% off the top immediately for any prize over $5,000, and you'll likely owe more at tax time (bringing it up to 37%), but the State of Texas doesn't take a cent.
Strategy (If You Can Call It That)
Let's be real. The odds are 1 in 292.2 million. You're more likely to be struck by lightning while being eaten by a shark.
But if you’re going to play, here’s what the pros (or just people who play a lot) do.
Most winners use Quick Picks. About 70% to 80% of winning tickets are computer-generated. Why? Because humans are predictable. We pick birthdays. That means we rarely pick numbers over 31. By using Quick Pick, you’re more likely to get a spread of numbers that covers the whole field (up to 69), which reduces the chance of you having to share the jackpot with ten other people who also used their kids' birthdays.
What to Do if You Actually Win
If you check your ticket tonight and the numbers match, do not run into the street screaming.
First, sign the back of that ticket. In Texas, a lottery ticket is a "bearer instrument." That means whoever holds it, owns it. If you drop it in the parking lot and it’s unsigned, whoever finds it can claim your $179 million.
Second, put it in a safe. Or a bank vault.
Third, get a lawyer and a financial advisor before you tell your Aunt Linda. Texas law does allow winners of prizes over $1 million to remain anonymous, but you have to set that up correctly from the start.
Actionable Next Steps
- Check the clock: If it's before 9:00 p.m. CT on Saturday, Jan 17, go get your ticket now.
- Decide on the add-ons: Do you want the $1 Power Play or the $1 Double Play? (Or both).
- Sign your ticket: As soon as you get it, flip it over and sign it.
- Wait for 10:12 p.m.: Watch the Texas Lottery broadcast or check the app for the results of the $179 million draw.
Powerball is a game of chance, but knowing when the next Powerball drawing in Texas happens is the only way you’re even in the running. Good luck—if you win, remember who gave you the heads up.