Lottery players across Maryland have their eyes on tonight’s Powerball drawing, set for August 18, 2025, at 10:59 p.m. Eastern Time, with an estimated jackpot of $605 million. The cash option stands at $273.4 million before taxes. This marks the largest Powerball prize of 2025 so far, following 35 consecutive drawings without a grand prize winner since the last jackpot hit on May 31, 2025, in California for $204.5 million. The game, which draws every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday, broadcasts live from the Florida Lottery studio in Tallahassee and streams on Powerball.com.
The Maryland Powerball jackpot has built steadily this summer, rolling over since that May win in California. Earlier 2025 jackpots included $328.5 million claimed in Oregon on January 18, $526.5 million in California on March 29 and $167.3 million in Kentucky on April 26. While no one has captured the top prize recently, the game has awarded significant secondary prizes nationwide. From June 2 to August 13, 2025, Powerball produced 37 winners matching all five white balls for $1 million each and nine who added the Power Play multiplier for $2 million. In California, those prizes are calculated pari-mutuel based on sales and winner numbers.
In Maryland, players have seen their share of success with the Maryland Powerball jackpot buildup. A $1 million ticket sold at a Safeway in Parkville matched five numbers in the June 2, 2025, drawing, marking the state’s first such win of the year. Closer to Southern Maryland, a $50,000 third-tier prize went to a ticket purchased at Lady’s Liquors on Crain Highway in La Plata, Charles County, in late June 2025. No jackpot winners have emerged from Maryland this year, but the state has a history of big hits, including a $731.1 million prize in 2021 shared by a Lonaconing group.
Winners of the Maryland Powerball jackpot face choices if they claim the prize. The annuity option provides an initial payment followed by 29 annual installments increasing 5 percent each year, totaling the advertised $605 million. The lump sum offers $273.4 million upfront. Both are pretax amounts, with federal withholding at 24 percent and Maryland state tax at 8.95 percent for residents. Prizes over $5,000 require claims at Maryland Lottery headquarters in Baltimore, by appointment only, with smaller wins redeemable at retailers.
Powerball tickets cost $2 per play, with players selecting five numbers from 1 to 69 for white balls and one from 1 to 26 for the red Powerball. Adding Power Play for an extra $1 multiplies non-jackpot prizes up to 10 times, depending on the jackpot size. Double Play, another $1 add-on available in Maryland, enters numbers into a separate drawing for up to $10 million. Sales cut off at 10 p.m. Eastern Time on drawing days. The overall odds of winning any prize are 1 in 24.9, while jackpot odds stand at 1 in 292.2 million.
For Southern Maryland residents, tickets are available at about 4,400 retailers statewide, including locations in Charles, Calvert and St. Mary’s counties. Use the Maryland Lottery’s retailer locator tool to find nearby spots, such as convenience stores, gas stations and supermarkets. Popular outlets include those along major routes like Route 5 and Route 235, where commuters often stop. The Maryland Lottery encourages responsible play, offering resources like self-exclusion programs and hotlines for gambling concerns.
Proceeds from Powerball sales benefit Maryland’s general fund, supporting education, public health and safety initiatives. More than half of each ticket dollar stays in the state, contributing over $1 billion annually to such causes. Nationally, Powerball has generated more than $36 billion for good causes since 1992, funding everything from schools to environmental programs. In Maryland, lottery revenues have topped $20 billion since 1973, with recent years seeing increased sales from multi-state games like Powerball.
The Maryland Powerball jackpot continues to draw interest as players check numbers from the August 16, 2025, drawing: 23, 40, 49, 65, 69 and Powerball 23, with a 3x Power Play multiplier, which rolled the prize forward. No Maryland tickets matched for major prizes in that draw, but smaller wins occurred statewide. As the jackpot grows, sales typically rise, boosting state revenues.
Powerball operates in 45 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, with Maryland joining in 2010. The game’s format, updated in 2015 to lengthen jackpot odds and create larger prizes, has led to record sums like the $2.04 billion won in California in 2022. Maryland has claimed five Powerball jackpots since participating, the most recent a $128 million prize in 2016.
For those tracking the Maryland Powerball jackpot, official results post shortly after drawings on the Maryland Lottery website or app. Players can scan tickets via the app for instant checks. With tonight’s draw approaching, retailers report steady traffic, reflecting the excitement around this Maryland Powerball jackpot milestone.
