TALLAHASSEE, FL – In an extraordinary turn of events, the Powerball® jackpot has skyrocketed to an astonishing $1 billion, marking only the third time in history that a U.S. lottery prize has reached this colossal milestone. The eye-watering jackpot is now up for grabs in the upcoming Powerball drawing scheduled for Wednesday, July 19. With an estimated cash value of $516.8 million, the elusive grand prize has attracted widespread attention and fervor nationwide.
The $1 billion jackpot stands as the seventh largest lottery jackpot in U.S. history and the third largest in Powerball’s annals, trailing behind last year’s record-breaking $2.04 billion Powerball jackpot and the monumental $1.586 billion Powerball prize claimed in 2016.
The substantial increase in the jackpot follows Monday night’s drawing, which failed to produce a ticket matching all six numbers: 5, 8, 9, 17, 41 for the white balls, and 21 for the red Powerball. However, lottery officials urge players to double-check their tickets as the drawing did yield numerous winners across lower-tier cash prize categories. A staggering 2.8 million nationwide tickets secured winnings, amassing a total of $41.7 million in lower-tier prizes.
Among the winning tickets from the Monday, July 17 drawing, five lucky individuals (from Connecticut, Florida, Kentucky, New York, and Pennsylvania) matched all five white balls, earning them $1 million each. Additionally, three tickets (from Arkansas, Georgia, and Texas) matched all five white balls and utilized the Power Play option, doubling their $1 million prize to an impressive $2 million. Furthermore, 88 tickets were awarded $50,000 prizes, with 28 tickets securing $200,000.
In the Double Play® drawing, two fortunate ticket holders from Maryland and Pennsylvania were awarded generous $500,000 prizes. Double Play is an add-on feature available in select jurisdictions. It gives players an additional chance to match their Powerball numbers in a separate drawing, with a top cash prize of $10 million. By paying an extra $1 per play, players can opt to include the Double Play feature on their Powerball tickets. Double Play drawings occur after Powerball drawings every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
The last time the Powerball jackpot was won was on April 19, 2023, when a ticket sold in Ohio perfectly matched all five white balls and the red Powerball, securing an impressive grand prize worth $252.6 million. Since then, 38 consecutive drawings have taken place without a jackpot winner.
Should a lucky player claim the $1 billion jackpot on Wednesday night, they will face the decision between receiving an annuitized prize amounting to an estimated $1 billion or opting for a lump sum payment of approximately $516.8 million, both figures excluding taxes. If the annuity option is chosen, the winner will receive an initial payment followed by 29 yearly payments, each increasing by 5% annually.
Powerball tickets for $2 per play across 45 states, along with the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, can be purchased. Significantly, over half of the proceeds from the sale of Powerball tickets remain within the jurisdiction where the ticket was sold. Live Powerball drawings are broadcasted every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday at 10:59 p.m. EST from the Florida Lottery draw studio in Tallahassee. Alternatively, viewers can tune in to the live stream on Powerball.com.
While the odds of winning any prize stand at 1 in 24.9, the chances of securing the jackpot are a staggering 1 in 292.2 million. As the excitement continues to build, players across the nation eagerly await the upcoming drawing, hoping to defy the odds and claim the monumental $1 billion Powerball jackpot.
