On Saturday, Powerball will offer its fifth-largest jackpot on record, with an estimated top prize of $1.5 billion.
This marks only the second time in Powerball history that the multistate lottery has produced back-to-back billion-dollar jackpots. The Sept. 6 drawing — the last time someone matched all six numbers — produced two winners who split a $1.7 billion prize.
As of Wednesday, the streak of drawings without a jackpot winner reached 44, with no player matching the five white balls and the red Powerball.
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“This jackpot is set to deliver the ultimate windfall,” said Matt Strawn, Powerball Product Group Chair and Iowa Lottery CEO. “The jackpot grows with every $2 ticket sold, and a portion of each ticket supports local public programs and services. We encourage everyone to have fun and play responsibly.”
A jackpot winner can choose a $1.5 billion annuity paid over 29 years or a lump sum of about $686.5 million before taxes. Saturday's jackpot also marks the seventh-largest jackpot ever in U.S. history.
Although Wednesday's drawing didn’t produce a top prize winner, eight players won at least $1 million each by matching all five white balls.
The numbers for Wednesday's drawing were 25, 33, 53, 62, 66 and red Powerball 17.
The odds of winning the jackpot are about 1 in 292 million. Powerball also offers prizes from $4 to $2 million, with odds of winning any prize at about 1 in 25.
Powerball is played in 45 states as well as Washington, D.C.
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Since the game lengthened the odds of hitting all six numbers in 2015, Powerball has averaged six to nine jackpot winners a year. All 10 of its largest jackpots have occurred since 2015. The record jackpot of $2.04 billion was won Nov. 7, 2022.
