Powerball Jackpot Reaches $86 Million as Buzz Builds After Historic $1.8B Win
The Powerball jackpot is back in the spotlight. For the Monday, January 5 drawing, the top prize sits at $86 million, with a cash option of $38.8 million.
This comes just days after history was made. A single ticket sold in Cabot, Arkansas, about 30 miles from Little Rock, landed the massive $1.8 billion Powerball jackpot on Christmas Eve. That win became the second-largest Powerball prize ever, and interestingly, the winner still hasn’t claimed it.
With the next drawing only hours away, players across the country are checking tickets and dreaming big. The winning numbers will be announced after the draw at 10:59 p.m. ET.
Biggest Powerball Jackpots Ever
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$2.040 billion – November 7, 2022 (California)
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$1.817 billion – December 24, 2025 (Arkansas)
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$1.787 billion – September 6, 2025 (Missouri, Texas)
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$1.765 billion – October 11, 2023 (California)
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$1.586 billion – January 13, 2016 (California, Florida, Tennessee)
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$1.326 billion – April 6, 2024 (Oregon)
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$1.080 billion – July 19, 2023 (California)
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$842.4 million – January 1, 2024 (Michigan)
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$768.4 million – March 27, 2019 (Wisconsin)
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$758.7 million – August 23, 2017 (Massachusetts)
How Powerball Works
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Tickets cost $2 per play
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Available in 45 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands
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Pick five white balls (1–69) and one red Powerball (1–26)
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Match all six numbers to win the jackpot
Want to boost smaller prizes? Add Power Play for $1 extra, which can multiply non-jackpot winnings by 2x, 3x, 4x, 5x, or even 10x.
Not feeling lucky with numbers? Quick Pick lets the computer choose for you.
Powerball drawings happen every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday night. If no one hits the jackpot, the prize keeps climbing—sometimes into record-breaking territory.
