While it may appear that the odds of matching the Powerball number should be 1 in 26 (as there are only 26 numbers possible to match), that is not the case. The odds of matching ONLY the Powerball number is a combination of two probabilities:
1. Not matching any white ball numbers and,
2. Matching only the Powerball.
When the math equations for both those probabilities are completed, the odds for matching only the Powerball number are 1 in 38.