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 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 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 at NASCAR Championship Weekend in the fall. This includes three nights' hotel accommodation and a 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.
Renamed NASCAR Powerball - The Chase to $1 Million for 2026, the promotion is 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 and Vermont. More lotteries may join the Powerball promotion later.
The promotion culminates before the NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race on November 8. Here's an overview of how the final drawings will run.
| Round | How Many Advance? | Prize | Announcment Date/Race |
|---|---|---|---|
| State Promotions | 1 semi-finalist per lottery | $2,000 | 9/6 Darlington |
| Drawing 1 | 20 advance | $3,000 | 9/27 Kansas |
| Drawing 2 | 10 advance | $5,000 | 10/18 Phoenix |
| Drawing 3 | 4 advance | VIP trip to NASCAR Championship Weekend in Miami | 11/1 Martinsville |
| Drawing 4 | Live $1 million drawing | Winner - $1million; 3 runner-ups - $10,000 | 11/8 Homestead |
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:
