Powerball Frenzy: How a $1.78B Jackpot Shook Up the Lottery World

Lotto Fever Returns: Inside the Crazy Ride of Record Jackpots

As the saying goes, it’s better to be too busy than not busy at all — and the lottery industry just got a crash course in what that really means.

After a record 41 straight drawings without a Powerball winner, the streak finally snapped when two tickets split a jaw-dropping $1.78 billion jackpot. That’s the second-largest prize in Powerball history. Leading up to it, jackpots of $1.44 billion, $1.2 billion, and even a cool $1 billion had the nation buzzing.

But here’s the kicker: before this hot streak, “jackpot fever” had been on ice. The last time a grand prize hit over a billion was way back in April 2024, when Oregon players scooped up $1.33 billion. Mega Millions hasn’t cracked $400 million since last December, despite its recent ticket price hike to $5.

Behind the Scenes: How Couriers Handle Jackpot Chaos

For lottery couriers like Lottery Now, this run wasn’t just exciting — it was overwhelming in the best way. Think of these apps as the Uber Eats of lottery tickets: players place orders, and couriers handle the physical ticket purchase.

When jackpots soar, business skyrockets too. Erik Swett, Lottery Now’s head of operations, said once prizes hit around $800–$900 million, customer demand explodes. “One day you’re steady, the next day you’re suddenly at 150% of your normal traffic — it’s a 10X jump,” he explained.

That means:

• Calling in extra contractors at the last minute

• Racing against strict cutoffs (7 p.m. on the West Coast)

• Working weekends and late nights

• Constantly refreshing screens, troubleshooting, and sometimes even buying tickets himself at Arizona retail stores

“All hands on deck” barely covers it.

Lessons Learned & The Next Big Jackpot

For Swett, this surge wasn’t just about keeping up — it was about preparing for what’s next. “This is a glimpse into the future,” he said, pointing to the staffing, supplies, and tech upgrades needed when jackpots climb into the billions.

And the future may be coming fast. With Mega Millions now priced at $5, talk of $2 billion or even $3 billion jackpots doesn’t sound far-fetched. Swett joked that maybe at $3 billion he’d finally stop rooting for rollovers and take a breather.

After the Highs, the Crash

Of course, once the dust settles, reality hits hard. The Monday after that historic Powerball win, the jackpot reset to a modest $20 million, and sales dropped just as sharply as they’d risen.

The only silver lining? Some players keep spending leftover funds in their app wallets. But for the most part, it’s a wild 10X up, then 10X down cycle.

Still, Swett says the adrenaline rush is worth it — jackpot fever may come and go, but when it hits, it changes everything.