Santa delivered an incredible present on Christmas Eve as a single winning ticket claimed Powerball's massive $1.817 billion jackpot. The lucky ticket was purchased in Arkansas, marking the second-largest U.S. lottery jackpot ever won.
The Record-Breaking Christmas Eve Win Details
The winning numbers for Wednesday night's drawing were:
- White Balls: 4, 25, 31, 52, 59
- Powerball: 19
For the grand prize winner, the lump sum cash value option stood at an astounding $834.9 million before taxes.
A Look at Powerball's History of Big Wins
This Christmas Eve win adds to Powerball's festive history, with the jackpot previously hit on Christmas Eve in 2011, and four times on Christmas Day since the game began in 1992.
The last Powerball jackpot hit occurred on September 6, when two tickets in Missouri and Texas split a $1.787 billion top prize. This recent Arkansas win marks only the second time in Powerball's history that there have been back-to-back winning jackpots topping $1 billion.
Wednesday's drawing was the 47th in the jackpot run, setting a new record for the most drawings in a single Powerball jackpot cycle. The $1.817 billion prize is second only to the monumental $2.04 billion jackpot won in 2022 by a single ticket sold in Altadena, California, which remains the largest in both Powerball and lottery history.
How to Play and Claim a Powerball Prize
To win the Powerball jackpot, a ticket must successfully match all five white balls and the red Powerball drawn. Single winners of the top prize have two payout options:
- Lump Sum Payment: A one-time payout of the cash value (before taxes).
- Annuity Payout: One immediate payment followed by 29 annual payments that increase by 5% each time (before taxes).
Other Significant Prizes Awarded
While one ticket claimed the grand prize, many other ticket-holders also won substantial sums:
- Eight tickets in Tuesday night's drawing matched all five white balls for a $1 million "Match 5" prize (prize total varies in California).
- 114 tickets won $50,000 prizes.
- 31 tickets won $100,000 prizes.
Powerball Basics: Odds, Cost, and Drawing Schedule
The odds of winning the Powerball jackpot are famously challenging, standing at 1 in 292.2 million, according to game officials. Over the last decade, lottery jackpots have soared in size, while the odds of winning have simultaneously become slimmer.
Powerball tickets cost $2 each and are sold in 45 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Drawings are held every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday at 11 p.m. ET.
Taylor Johnston and Kierra Frazier contributed to this report.
Categories: #Powerball, #Lottery Winners, #Arkansas News
