“Powerball” lottery at the $ 1.9 billion jackpot: is it possible for the French to participate?

When you “hit the jackpot”, it all depends on the size of the said prize… But in some cases, lives can radically change. The grand prize of the American Powerball lottery, for example, reached the astronomical sum of 1.9 billion dollars on Monday. For the average person, earning a few tens of thousands of euros will be more than a happy surprise, allowing them to repay any loans or even to carry out certain projects that until then seemed out of reach.

However, for sums of amounts difficult to imagine such as that put into play by the Powerball, their gain will a priori be accompanied by a loss of bearings and great difficulty in appropriating this money, as has been explained the psychiatrist specialist in the game Chrisitan Bucher to the Parisian. In France, personalized support for the big winners is also set up by the FDJ.

The odds of winning the all-time high Powerball prize are slim: one in 292.2 million. Once a winner, the lucky winner can then choose to receive their entire gain, or to have it paid in installments over three decades. But what about the French wanting to try their luck in the American super-lottery?

To participate, you must be there. However, the draw is not reserved for American citizens, and tourists can participate, as reported by Le Parisien. However, certain factors must be taken into account. First of all, Powerball is not allowed in all states: you will not be able to play in Alabama, Wyoming, Nevada, Alaska, Hawaii, Arkansas, Mississippi, Nevada and Utah .

Another thing to consider before buying your plane ticket to play in the United States: the taxation that applies to the winning is not the same for permanent residents or American citizens as for tourists. Indeed, a foreign national will be taxed 44.7% of the jackpot, against 39.6% for a US colleague. Also note that local taxes, specific to the state in which you would play, are likely to apply.