How does the lottery work, anyway? [Video]

It’s happening again: A humongous Powerball lottery jackpot surpassing $1 billion is up for grabs. With that kind of money on the line, you may be tempted to pick up a ticket or two yourself.

But if you’re new to the game, it all might seem a bit strange. What power does this ball possess?

It’s all in the draw: Each Powerball drawing picks five white, numbered balls and one red ball. In order to win the grand prize, a player must match all five white numbers and the red number. Mega Millions, another national-level lottery, is similar.

As of this writing, no one’s hit the jackpot in weeks. And so it grows.

MORE: Man wins Powerball and keeps promise to give winnings to stepdaughter

Whether you’re interested in one of the nationwide lotteries or your state’s weekly drawings, you probably have questions. Here’s a quick primer on lottery basics — unfortunately, we can’t increase your (extremely long) odds of winning, but at least you’ll know …