Most South Africans know about the PowerBall draw that can grant anyone who wins the jackpot the kind of lifestyle everyone wants to have. But many people don’t know about PowerBall Plus. Since 2015, this secondary draw gives players twice the opportunity to win with only one lottery ticket. For only an extra R2.50, the numbers you picked enter not just the main PowerBall lottery draw, but also the Plus draw which happens minutes after the main draw which usually is on Tuesday and Friday. Your chosen numbers automatically get entered into both of these lotteries. It’s like playing the lottery with the same number twice. Not just that, but the jackpots can be even larger than that of regular PowerBall.
From Humble Beginnings
PowerBall Plus didn’t start out big. Back in December 2015, the jackpot was just R10 million. Soon enough, it went up to R23 million, until someone from KwaZulu-Natal won it. But the lottery’s popularity really grew in 2020. After a long streak of more than 59 rollovers, the jackpot went up to a whopping R153 million, proving that sometimes all you need is patience and a R7.50 betslip to turn your dreams into a reality. Unlike the main draw, the Plus prizes use a different set of numbers, meaning that you could be unlucky at 21:00, but get your win back at 21:05.
How to Join
Getting started is really simple. No matter where you buy the tickets, whether it’s online through YesPlay or offline, simply mark the PowerBall Plus option on your betslip. It’s going to cost you only R7.50 per board where R5 goes to the main draw and R2.50 goes to PowerBall Plus. If you’re someone who plays regularly you can easily stack multiple entries together at once. If you prefer the convenience of online checkout, YesPlay makes it very simple with a single click selection right before paying. Also, if you want to check the past results or current jackpots, the National Lottery section on YesPlay’s website is being updated almost instantly after every draw.
Beyond the Jackpot
While winning the grand R2 million Plus jackpot is what makes the players want to come back for more, you can also win smaller prizes just by matching the PowerBall. Doing so nets you a cool R5, plus there are eight more additional tiers of rewards. Often you’ll hear locals sharing stories about almost hitting the jackpot or their Plus victories, giving inspiration to other players. There is a story of a retired person from Mpumalanga matching four main Plus numbers after getting completely destroyed in the first round, ending up with R5,400 in their pocket. “It definitely made up for getting destroyed earlier” she laughed, continuing her story by mentioning how this money came in handy for paying for her granddaughter’s school fees.
Mix and Match
YesPlay knows that sometimes you just want to bet on something else. On days when you’re not feeling too lucky, their sports section at https://yesplay.bet/sports is just what you need. Bet on soccer, rugby, or cricket and test out your sports knowledge. Many players check their PowerBall results and if they’re not happy with what they’re seeing, they quickly switch over to live matches to make some quick money on the side. As one guy from Johannesburg said, “If my numbers don’t hit, I’ll use the R5 I won in Plus to bet on a soccer halftime score. Keeps things fun.”
