The Powerball jackpot skyrocketed to $1.5 billion after Wednesday’s drawing produced no grand prize winners, making it the fifth largest jackpot in Powerball history.
No one has won Powerball since Sept. 6, when two winners in Missouri and Texas split a $1.787 billion prize, the second largest in Powerball history. There have been 44 winnerless drawings since then, a Powerball record.
The next Powerball drawing will be held Saturday night. Tickets cost $2 and give buyers a one in 292.2 million chance of winning.
“This jackpot is set to deliver the ultimate windfall,” said Powerball executive Matt Strawn. “The jackpot grows with every $2 ticket sold.”
If someone wins Saturday night’s drawing, they will have the option of an immediate $686.5 million payment or an annual payout over 30 years, adding up to $1.5 billion. Both options are taxed.
In Wednesday night’s drawing, six people — including three in New York — won $1 million for matching all five white balls but not the Powerball. Two more people won $2 million, having boosted their payout by coughing up an extra dollar for their ticket. The winning numbers were 25, 33, 53, 62 and 66, and the red Powerball was 17.
The largest Powerball jackpot in history was $2.04 billion. It was won in November 2022 by Southern California resident Edwin Castro.
