Powerball Jackpot Soars to $526 Million for Saturday, July 18 Drawing

The Powerball jackpot has climbed to an estimated $526 million, with a cash option of $233.5 million, heading into the Saturday, July 18 drawing. Since no ticket matched all the winning numbers on Wednesday, the grand prize continues to grow, giving players another shot at a life-changing payday.

Quick Highlights

• Jackpot: $526 million
• Cash Value: $233.5 million
• Drawing Day: Saturday, July 18
• Last Jackpot Winner: May 2, when two lucky tickets shared a $20 million prize
• Latest Big Winner: A Louisiana player scored $2 million in Wednesday's drawing

Can Anyone Play Powerball?

Yes. You do not need to be a U.S. citizen or resident to buy a Powerball ticket. Anyone meeting the legal age requirement—typically 18 years or older—can purchase tickets from authorized retailers while visiting one of the 45 participating states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, or the U.S. Virgin Islands.

How to Play

Powerball tickets cost $2 per play. Players choose:

• Five white ball numbers from 1 to 69
• One red Powerball number from 1 to 26

Prefer not to pick your own numbers? The Quick Pick option lets the computer make the selections for you.

For an extra $1, players can add Power Play, which boosts non-jackpot prizes by 2X, 3X, 4X, 5X, or even 10X, depending on the multiplier drawn.

To win the jackpot, all five white balls and the red Powerball must match the winning numbers.

Biggest Powerball Jackpots Ever

Some of the largest Powerball prizes in history include:

• $2.040 billion – November 7, 2022 (California)
• $1.817 billion – December 24, 2025 (Arkansas)
• $1.787 billion – September 6, 2025 (Missouri and Texas)
• $1.765 billion – October 11, 2023 (California)
• $1.586 billion – January 13, 2016 (California, Florida, and Tennessee)
• $1.326 billion – April 6, 2024 (Oregon)
• $1.080 billion – July 19, 2023 (California)
• $842.4 million – January 1, 2024 (Michigan)
• $768.4 million – March 27, 2019 (Wisconsin)
• $758.7 million – August 23, 2017 (Massachusetts)

Since its launch in 1992, Powerball has created more than 400 jackpot winners. States such as Indiana, Missouri, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin rank among those with the highest number of jackpot-winning tickets.

Powerball drawings take place every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday night. If no one wins the top prize, the jackpot keeps rolling over, making the next drawing even bigger.