Powerball, Mega Millions jackpots: What to know in case you win
Powerball players across the United States are eagerly awaiting the next drawing as the jackpot continues to climb. The Powerball jackpot is now worth over $600 million and steadily rising after there were no winners from the Saturday’s drawing. The lottery jackpot is now estimated to be $638 million, with a cash value of $304.2 million. The next drawing will be held at 10:59 p.m. ET on Monday, Sept. 18.
The last Powerball jackpot reached a staggering $1.08 billion, when the winning ticket was sold in Los Angeles on July 19, making it the third-largest prize in the lottery’s history. With such massive prizes at stake, here’s what you need to know about the Powerball lottery.
For those who are new to playing the Powerball, there’s no need to worry. Here’s exactly how to ask the cashier for a ticket. The Powerball drawings are held three times a week, every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday at 10:59 p.m. ET. So mark your calendars for the upcoming drawing on Monday, Sept. 18.
If you missed the last drawing, the winning numbers from the Saturday, Sept. 16 drawing were 8, 11, 19, 24, and 46. The red Powerball was 5 and the Power Play was 2X. Unfortunately, there were no jackpot winners or Match 5 + Power Play $2 million winners, but there were Match 5 $1 million winners in Arizona and Washington.
When it comes to playing the Powerball, it costs $2 per play. To play, simply select five numbers from 1 to 69 for the white balls, then choose one number from 1 to 26 for the red Powerball. You can either choose your own lucky numbers on a play slip or let the lottery terminal randomly pick your numbers for you. To win, you must match one of the nine ways listed, ranging from the grand prize of 5 white balls + 1 red Powerball to winning $4 for just one red Powerball.
If you’re feeling lucky, there’s also the option to increase your winnings through the Power Play. For an additional $1 per play, players have the chance to multiply their non-jackpot wins up to 10 times. However, this option is only available when the jackpot is $150 million or less.
The odds of winning the Powerball jackpot are one in 292,201,338, making it no easy feat. However, the odds for the lowest prize of $4 for one red Powerball are one in 38.32. Powerball states that the overall odds of winning any prize are one in 24.87, based on a $2 play.
As players dream of hitting the jackpot, it’s worth noting that the largest Powerball jackpot ever won was a staggering $2.04 billion from a single winning ticket in California in November 2022. Other notable jackpot wins include $1.586 billion from three winning tickets in California, Florida, and Tennessee in January 2016, and $1.08 billion from one winning ticket in California in July 2023.
With the current Powerball jackpot climbing to remarkable heights, players have their eyes set on the upcoming draw. The excitement is palpable as individuals imagine what it would be like to become an overnight millionaire or even billionaire. The Powerball drawing on Monday, Sept. 18 holds the potential to change someone’s life in an instant. Will you be the lucky one to claim the massive jackpot?