On Wednesday night, the Powerball jackpot reached an estimated $865 million, making it the fifth-largest jackpot in Powerball history. This increase came after no tickets matched all six numbers in the previous drawing. The winner of Wednesday’s drawing could choose to receive the money in annuitized payments or take a lump sum estimated at $416.1 million. Tuesday saw the announcement of a Mega Millions grand prize worth over $1 billion, with the winning ticket sold in New Jersey.
The Mega Millions jackpot was won by a ticket with the numbers 7, 11, 22, 29, 38 and Mega Ball 4. This marked the fifth-largest jackpot in Mega Millions history, with the winner having the option to receive the full jackpot in annual payments or take a lump-sum payment of $537.5 million. This recent win highlights the excitement surrounding lottery jackpots, with little information initially shared about the location of the winning ticket.
The Powerball jackpot has now surpassed $800 million for the second time this year, with the last win occurring in January when a ticket in Michigan scored a prize worth $842.4 million. Since then, 36 consecutive drawings have taken place without a jackpot winner, adding to the anticipation of the next big win. The largest Powerball jackpot prize ever won was $2.04 billion, which was won by a ticket purchased in California in November 2022.
If the estimated $865 million jackpot for Wednesday’s Powerball drawing is confirmed, it would rank as the fifth-largest in the game’s history. The second through fourth largest prizes were $1.765 billion (one ticket in California; 2023), $1.586 billion (three tickets; 2016), and $1.08 billion (one ticket in California, 2023). Winning the Powerball jackpot requires matching all five white balls plus the red Powerball, with the odds of winning the jackpot being 1 in 292.2 million.
Powerball tickets cost $2 per play and are sold in 45 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands. Drawings are held on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays at 10:59 p.m. ET in Tallahassee, Florida. The excitement surrounding the possibility of winning such large jackpots continues to capture the attention of lottery players across the country, with each draw offering the chance for someone to become an instant multimillionaire.
