The NASCAR Powerball Playoff is an annual promotion that runs across multiple states and culminates with one lucky player winning $1 million - while attending the NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race in Phoenix as part of a VIP trip! A host of other great prizes are paid out over the course of the promotion.
Usually starting in the spring, the initial stage sees participating lotteries hold their own state-wide competitions. These work differently, but often take the form of second-chance drawings - where players submit non-winning tickets.
State lotteries give out their own prizes and whittle down players, until 16 semi-finalists are selected from across the country via a random draw. The semi-finalists are then pitted against each other in elimination drawings that are held alongside major races throughout the NASCAR promotion. The competitors who get knocked out receive prize payouts that increase in value as the promotion continues.
By the end, four finalists are left in contention, and they all get to enjoy a trip for two to Phoenix for NASCAR Championship Weekend in the fall. This includes three nights' hotel accommodation a range of range of VIP experiences, including hospitality passes, pace car rides and much more.
One participant is picked as the winner of $1 million, while the three runners-up receive $10,000 each.
The 2025 NASCAR Powerball Playoff was open to players from the following states: Arizona, Delaware, Florida, Idaho, Indiana (Hoosier), Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
Here's an overview of the 16 semi-finalists and how the promotion ran until its conclusion.
| Drawing | Announcement Date | Race | Playoffs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Round of 16 | August 23 | Coke Zero Sugar 400, Daytona Intl Speedway, Daytona, FL | 16 semi-finalists advance |
| Round of 12 | September 13 | Bass Pro Shops Night Race, Bristol Motor Speedway, Bristol, TN | 12 semi-finalists advance, 4 eliminated win $2,500. Eliminated contestants were: Dianne Brandon - Baker, LA Ronald Mikus - New York Mills, NY Lisa Tyson - Willmar, MN David Zettlemoyer - Magnolia, DE |
| Round of 8 | October 5 | Bank of America ROVAL 400, Charlotte Motor Speedway, Concord, NC | 8 semi-finalists advance, 4 eliminated win $5,000. Eliminated contestants were: Tomorrow Huff - Houston, TX Alana Neville - Milesville, SD Cynthia Steckel - Phoenix, AZ Samuel Szomstein - Aventura, FL |
| Championship 4 | October 26 | NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs Race, Martinsville Speedway, Martinsville, VA | 4 finalists advance and win VIP trip, 4 eliminated win $7,500. Eliminated contestants were: Franklin Bangurah - Johnson City, TN Alex Kamzalow - Tarentum, PA Bradley Pansy - Neenah, WIS Ronald Perreault, Jr. - Coventry, RI |
| $1 Million Championship | November 2 | NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race, Phoenix Raceway, Avondale, AZ | One winner of $1 million, three runners-up win $10,000. Eliminated contestants were: Daryle Fair - Columbia, SC Patricia Hockaday - Raleigh, NC Todd Smith - N. Waterboro, ME $1 million winner: Francisco Javier Erives - Jetmore, KS |
The promotion was first launched in 2023 after Powerball formed a new partnership with NASCAR, with the announcement declaring that they have both 'shared in the goal of providing exhilarating excitement for decades while also giving back to communities'. The aim was to combine the thrill of racing and winning.
The NASCAR Powerball Playoff followed hot on the heels of the First Powerball Millionaire of the Year competition, which began in 2020 and gave players across the U.S. the opportunity to win $1 million as part of a special draw that took place live on air during the Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve broadcast from New York.
The first $1 million payout for the NASCAR Powerball Playoff went to Mississippi, and the second went to Louisiana. Here's more information about the previous winners:
