The world’s biggest jackpot game is set to launch in the UK this week, the National Lottery operator has announced.

Players will be able to buy into the National Lottery’s Powerball from Tuesday at £4 per line to compete with their US counterparts for shared jackpots that can balloon into billions, paid out over 30 years.

If the Powerball jackpot, currently estimated at $416 million (£311 million), continues to roll until the UK launch, British players will have a chance to win it in Thursday’s opening draw.

This marks the first time the game has operated outside the US, offering UK players uncapped jackpots starting at £12 million, which can grow into hundreds of millions and even billions.

The UK game features an extra “match two main numbers” prize tier, which is only available to UK players and offers a fixed prize of £8.

The “match five main numbers” tier also offers a fixed prize of £1 million, while all other UK prize tiers will vary depending on the balls drawn and the number of winners.

Allwyn chief executive Andria Vidler said: “Powerball jackpots can soar into the billions, offering breathtaking sums with the potential to transform lives and communities.

“We’re encouraging players to get involved when tickets go on sale and we’ll be crossing our fingers for our first UK winner.”