Powerball Jackpot Soars to $1.6 Billion Ahead of Historic Drawing

The Powerball jackpot is officially in blockbuster territory, climbing to an estimated $1.6 billion ahead of Wednesday night’s drawing. That makes it the fourth-largest jackpot ever in U.S. lottery history, and excitement is hitting a fever pitch.

This massive prize keeps growing after no one matched all six numbers in Monday’s drawing. The winning numbers were 3, 18, 36, 41, 54, with a Powerball of 7 and a 2x Power Play. With no jackpot winner, the cash option now sits at about $781.3 million before taxes.

Even without a grand prize winner, plenty of players still scored big. Nine tickets matched all five white balls, landing major wins in:

• Florida

• Georgia

• Illinois

• New York (two tickets)

• Ohio

• Pennsylvania

• Tennessee

• Wisconsin

Wednesday’s draw will also set a milestone. It marks the 47th drawing in this jackpot run, the longest cycle Powerball has ever seen. The last time the jackpot was hit was in September, when tickets in Missouri and Texas split a $1.787 billion prize.

Here’s what players should know:

• Odds of winning any prize: 1 in 24.9

• Odds of hitting the jackpot: 1 in 292.2 million

• Payout choices:

  • Lump sum of about $781.3 million, or

  • An annuity totaling roughly $1.7 billion, paid out over 30 years, with payments rising 5% each year

Powerball is played in 45 states, plus Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, with drawings held Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.

Biggest Lottery Jackpots Ever

• $2.04 billion – Powerball (November 2022, California)

• $1.787 billion – Powerball (September 2025, Missouri & Texas)

• $1.765 billion – Powerball (October 2023, California)

• $1.7 billion – Powerball (December 2025, estimated current prize)

• $1.602 billion – Mega Millions (August 2023, Florida)