The latest Powerball drawing ended without a grand prize winner, causing the jackpot to skyrocket to an estimated $905 million. In the drawing held on Saturday, the winning numbers drawn were 5, 9, 35, 54, 63, with the red Powerball number being 7. Players who participated had the opportunity to win impressive amounts even without hitting the jackpot.
A single ticket purchased in Texas matched all five white balls with the Power Play option, netting the lucky holder a cool $2 million. In addition, four tickets sold across Arizona, Florida, Michigan, and New York each earned $1 million for matching the five white numbers. Despite no one claiming the massive $856 million prize — the largest for this year and the eighth-highest in Powerball history — there’s still plenty of excitement around the lottery.
The Next Chances for Players
The upcoming drawing scheduled for Monday will offer the burgeoning jackpot once again to hopeful players. It has been over three months since there was a grand prize winner, allowing the total pot to grow substantially. The last time someone won the jackpot was on May 2 when two contestants from Florida and Texas claimed a shared prize of $20 million.
According to a spokesperson from the Multi-State Lottery Association, interest in the Powerball increases as jackpots rollover without a winner. They noted, “We already had five Powerball jackpots won by tickets in seven states this year before this current jackpot run. As jackpots grow, so does player engagement, leading to faster growth in winnings.”
Powerball Expands Internationally
The excitement around Powerball is not just limited to the United States. Recently, Powerball tickets became available in the United Kingdom, marking the first time UK players can participate in this massive lottery. This expansion was made possible through a collaboration between the Multi-State Lottery Association and Allwyn UK, who oversees the UK National Lottery.
This new availability allows players across the pond the chance to compete for larger jackpots than they traditionally could. The Multi-State Lottery Association commented on the potential impact of UK players joining in, saying that increased ticket sales tend to happen when new regions enter the game. While it’s still early to assess the full effects of this expansion, ticket sales have risen alongside the growing jackpot.
Powerball is currently played in 45 states, plus Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The highest jackpot ever recorded was just over $2 billion, claimed by a California resident in 2022. This year, substantial prizes have included a $250.8 million jackpot in Arkansas in March, followed by $230.8 million in Delaware the following month.
Winners can choose to receive their prize as a lump sum or as an annuitized payment over 30 installments. Typically, the lump sum option comes in lower than the jackpot’s total payout value but is paid immediately from the jackpot pool. For Saturday’s drawing, the cash value was around $371 million. It’s also important to note that the $856 million figure is before taxes, and in states like California and Texas, lottery winnings are not taxed.
With odds of winning the Powerball jackpot resting at approximately 1 in 292.2 million, the chances may be slim, but many players find hope in smaller cash prizes. Powerball drawings take place every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday at 10:59 p.m. ET.
