The Powerball jackpot has been won in Arkansas. A single ticket sold in Arkansas matched all six numbers drawn on Wednesday night to win a $1.817 billion (R30.3 billion) jackpot.
The jackpot has a cash option of $834.9 million (R13.9 billion).
The winning numbers in the Powerball draw were white balls 4, 25, 31, 52, 59 and red Powerball 19. The Power Play multiplier was 2.
Second-largest jackpot
With final ticket sales, the Powerball jackpot reached $1.817 billion, making it the second-largest US lottery jackpot ever won and the largest Powerball prize this year.
“Congratulations to the newest Powerball jackpot winner! This is truly an extraordinary, life-changing prize,” said Matt Strawn, Powerball Product Group Chair and Iowa Lottery CEO.
“We also want to thank all the players who joined in this jackpot streak – every ticket purchased helps support public programs and services across the country.”
This marks the second time the Powerball jackpot has been won by a ticket sold in Arkansas; the first was in 2010.
Before tax
The lucky ticket holder will have the choice between an annuitized prize of $1.817 billion or a lump sump payment of $834.9 million.
Both prize options are before taxes.
If a winner selects the annuity option, they will receive one immediate payment followed by 29 annual payments that increase by 5% each year.
US lotteries have reminded players to check their tickets carefully, as several tickets won cash prizes in Wednesday night’s draw.
Nationwide, eight tickets matched all five white balls. The winning Match 5 tickets were sold in California, Indiana, Michigan, New York (2), Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia. The Match 5 prize is a set cash prize of $1 million except in California, where prize payout amounts are pari-mutuel and determined by sales and the number of winners.
Add-on feature
The drawing also produced 114 tickets that won $50 000 prizes and 31 tickets that won $100 000 prizes.
In the Double Play draw, two tickets sold in Colorado and South Carolina won $500 000 prizes after matching all five black balls.
Double Play is a $1 add-on feature that allows players to player their Powerball numbers, again, in a separate drawing for a chance to win up to $10 million.
The Double Play drawing is live streamed on Powerball.com following the main Powerball drawing.
Wednesday night’s Powerball draw was the 47th in the jackpot run – a game record for the most drawings in a jackpot cycle.
The Powerball jackpot was previously won on 6 September by two tickets in Missouri and Texas that split a $1.787 billion prize.
Next draw
For the next draw on Saturday, 27 December, the Powerball jackpot resets to $20 million (R333.35 million).
The Power Play 10X multiplier will be available for play since the advertised jackpot is below $150 million.
Powerball tickets are $2 (R33.35) per play. Tickets are sold in 45 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands.
More than half of all proceeds from the sale of a Powerball ticket remain in the jurisdiction where the ticket was sold.
Since its first drawing in 1992, the Powerball game has helped generate more than $37 billion for causes supported by US lotteries.
Powerball drawings are broadcast live every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday at 22:59 (ET) from the Florida Lottery draw studio in Tallahassee. Powerball drawings are also live streamed on Powerball.com.
The overall odds of winning a prize are 1 in 24.9. The odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 292.2 million.
Record US Lottery Jackpots
- $2.04 billion – Powerball – November 7, 2022
- $1.817 billion – Powerball – December 24, 2025
- $1.787 billion – Powerball – September 6, 2025
- $1.765 billion – Powerball – October 11, 2023
- $1.602 billion – Mega Millions – August 8, 2023
- $1.586 billion – Powerball – January 13, 2016
- $1.537 billion – Mega Millions – October 23, 2018
- $1.348 billion – Mega Millions – January 13, 2023
- $1.337 billion – Mega Millions – July 29, 2022
- $1.326 billion – Powerball – April 6, 2024
Meanwhile, the next PowerBall and PowerBall Plus draws in South Africa will take place on Boxing Day, Friday, 26 December 2025.
The PowerBall jackpot stands at a guaranteed R110 million, while the PowerBall Plus jackpot is an estimated R11 million.
