8th-largest lottery jackpot in world history
By Todd Northrop
Last night, the multi-state Powerball lottery game produced no top winner for the 39th consecutive drawing, prompting lottery officials to raise the game's jackpot to an astonishing $1.23 billion.
A winner who chooses the cash option would receive a lump-sum $595.1 million — more than a half-billion dollars in cash!
It's the stuff that a lottery player's dreams are made of — holding a lottery ticket for an upcoming Powerball drawing with the potential to transform your life in every way.
Do you choose the annuity, which has an initial payment of $18.5 million and increases the payment every year until the final payment of $76 million in the 29th year, or do you opt for the lump-sum cash payment of $595.1 million all at once?
You can weight the tax consequences of that choice state-by-state by visiting the Jackpot Analysis page at USA Mega, a web site devoted to the Powerball and Mega Millions multi-state lottery games. The feature calculates both the initial withholdings and the final tax burden due at the end of the year, and even can show taxes calculated for different IRS filing statuses.
The largest Powerball jackpot ever awarded was on Nov. 7, 2022, when one ticket sold in California won a $2 billion grand prize. The incredibly lucky winner was Edwin Castro, who claimed the prize in February of 2023, providing minimal public information about himself. What little is known about Castro comes from public filings, and includes the purchases of houses one, two, and three, as well as being the subject of dubious lawsuits that are unfortunately predictable these days.
Players looking for a nearby lottery retailer — or that out-of-the-way retailer with a smaller line — are encouraged to use Lottery Places, the only app for iOS, Android, and Windows that can locate the nearest lottery retailers in every jurisdiction that sells Powerball and Mega Millions. The helpful app can locate lottery stores in the United States, the United Kingdom, Mexico, much of Canada, and the Caribbean.
Some states offer direct online sales, allowing players to bypass the store and purchase tickets from home. Players can see if they can play Powerball online by tapping the link. Depending on the physical location of the person, the link will either provide access via a licensed butler service or the official state lottery itself.
Butler services provide scanned copies of the purchased lottery tickets securely held on behalf of the customer. In the past, such lottery ticket services were used by people out side the USA to win big jackpots in Oregon and Florida.
The winning numbers for Wednesday, April 3, 2024 were 11, 38, 41, 62, and 65, with Powerball number 15. The Power Play number was 3.
The Wednesday Double Play drawing results were 10, 44, 53, 60, and 63, with Powerball number 13. Double Play is a game option currently available in 22 states that lets you play your numbers in a second drawing for $1 per play, with a chance to win up to $10 million in cash. See How to Play Powerball at USA Mega for more information about Double Play.
Even though nobody won the jackpot Wednesday, 9 lucky players matched the first 5 numbers for a $1,000,000 prize: 2 from California, 1 from Georgia, 1 from Maryland, 2 from Massachusetts, 1 from New Jersey, 1 from South Carolina, and 1 from Washington. (The 2 California winners each will claim a prizes of $1,622,808, due to the state's pari-mutuel payout formula.)
None of the second-prize tickets was purchased with the Power Play option, which would have doubled their prize to $2 million if they purchased the $1 option.
When a Powerball ticket is purchased with the Power Play option for an extra $1 per ticket, a second-prize win is doubled and any other non-jackpot prize is multplied by the Power Play number drawn that evening. A complete list of prizes available for matching various numbers, as well as the official drawing videos, can be found on the Powerball Drawing Detail page at USA Mega. Lottery Post also publishes the complete list of Powerball Prize Payouts and the Powerball Double Play Prize Payouts.
The official drawing videos can also be found on the Powerball Drawing Detail page at USA Mega.
Power Play is not available in California, because the fixed nature of the prize increase offered in Power Play is not compatible with California's pari-mutuel payouts. By law, California awards all prizes on a pari-mutuel basis, meaning the prizes will change each drawing based on the number of tickets sold and the number of tickets that won at each prize level.
Also in the Wednesday drawing, 81 tickets matched four white numbers plus the Powerball and won $50,000. Of those tickets, 17 were purchased with the Power Play option, increasing the prize to $150,000, and 12 of the tickets were sold in California, where the prize was worth $19,682 this drawing.
Following the Wednesday drawing, the Powerball annuity jackpot estimate was raised $98.8 million from its previous amount of $1.1312 billion and the cash value was raised by $47.8 million from its previous amount of $547.3 million.
For information about how these jackpot amounts are calculated, check out the Lottery Post feature video, How are lottery jackpots are calculated?
The next Powerball drawing will take place Saturday night at 10:59 pm Eastern Time.
Powerball is played in 45 states, plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Drawings are Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays at 10:59 p.m. Eastern Time. Tickets cost $2 each.
Powerball lottery results are published within minutes of the drawing at USA Mega (www.usamega.com). The USA Mega Web site provides lottery players in-depth information about the United States's two biggest multi-state lottery games, Mega Millions and Powerball.
Top 25 United States lottery jackpots of all time
Saturday's Powerball jackpot currently stands as the 4th-largest Powerball jackpot ever, and the 8th-largest lottery jackpot of all time in the United States. That position may rise before the drawing, as lotteries are typically conservative in their initial estimates, and brisk sales may push the jackpot estimate higher by draw time.
- Powerball: $2.0401 billion, Nov. 7, 2022 (40 rollovers, starting at $20 million) - California
- Powerball: $1.7649 billion, Oct. 11, 2023 (35 rollovers, starting at $20 million) - California
- Mega Millions: $1.602 billion, Aug. 8, 2023 (31 rollovers, starting at $20 million) - Florida
- Powerball: $1.5864 billion, Jan. 13, 2016 (19 rollovers, starting at $40 million) - California, Florida, Tennessee
- Mega Millions: $1.537 billion, Oct. 23, 2018 (25 rollovers, starting at $40 million) - South Carolina
- Mega Millions: $1.348 billion, Jan. 13, 2023 (25 rollovers, starting at $20 million) - Maine
- Mega Millions: $1.337 billion, Jul. 29, 2022 (29 rollovers, starting at $20 million) - Illinois
- Powerball: $1.23 billion, Apr. 6, 2024 (40 rollovers, starting at $20 million) - Preliminary estimate, not won yet
- Mega Millions: $1.128 billion, Mar. 26, 2024 (30 rollovers, starting at $20 million) - New Jersey
- Powerball: $1.0798 billion, Jul. 19, 2023 (38 rollovers, starting at $20 million) - California
- Mega Millions: $1.05 billion, Jan. 22, 2021 (36 rollovers, starting at $20 million) - Michigan
- Powerball: $842.4 million, Jan. 1, 2024 (34 rollovers, starting at $20 million) - Michigan
- Powerball: $768.4 million, Mar. 27, 2019 (25 rollovers, starting at $40 million) - Wisconsin
- Powerball: $758.7 million, Aug. 23, 2017 (20 rollovers, starting at $40 million) - Massachusetts
- Powerball: $754.6 million, Feb. 6, 2023 (33 rollovers, starting at $20 million) - Washington
- Powerball: $731.1 million, Jan. 20, 2021 (35 rollovers, starting at $20 million) - Maryland
- Powerball: $699.8 million, Oct. 4, 2021 (40 rollovers, starting at $20 million) - California
- Powerball: $687.8 million, Oct. 27, 2018 (21 rollovers, starting at $40 million) - Iowa, New York
- Mega Millions: $656 million, Mar. 30, 2012 (18 rollovers, starting at $12 million) - Illinois, Kansas, Maryland
- Mega Millions: $648 million, Dec. 17, 2013 (21 rollovers, starting at $12 million) - California, Georgia
- Powerball: $632.6 million, Jan 5, 2022 (39 rollovers, starting at $20 million) - California, Wisconsin
- Powerball: $590.5 million, May 18, 2013 (13 rollovers, starting at $40 million) - Florida
- Powerball: $587.5 million, Nov. 28, 2012 (15 rollovers, starting at $40 million) - Arizona, Missouri
- Powerball: $564.1 million, Feb. 11, 2015 (20 rollovers, starting at $40 million) - North Carolina, Puerto Rico, Texas
- Powerball: $559.7 million, Jan. 6, 2018 (20 rollovers, starting at $40 million) - New Hampshire
The number of jackpots in the top 25, by lottery game, are:
- Powerball: 17
- Mega Millions: 8
Top 25 cash value jackpots
Since many lottery winners collect their winnings in cash, the lump-sum payout is an important measure of what a winning ticket could be worth.
The upcoming Powerball jackpot ranks as the 9th-largest cash value in U.S. history.
- Powerball: $997.6 million cash, Nov. 7, 2022 ($2.0401 billion annuity) - California
- Powerball: $983.5 million cash, Jan. 13, 2016 ($1.5864 billion annuity) - California, Florida, Tennessee
- Mega Millions: $877.8 million cash, Oct. 23, 2018 ($1.537 billion annuity) - South Carolina
- Mega Millions: $794.2 million cash, Aug. 8, 2023 ($1.602 billion annuity) - Florida
- Mega Millions: $780.5 million cash, Jul. 29, 2022 ($1.337 billion annuity) - Illinois
- Mega Millions: $776.6 million cash, Jan. 22, 2021 ($1.05 billion annuity) - Michigan
- Powerball: $774.1 million cash, Oct. 11, 2023 ($1.7649 billion annuity) - California
- Mega Millions: $723.5 million cash, Jan. 13, 2023 ($1.348 billion annuity) - Maine
- Powerball: $595.1 million cash, Apr. 6, 2024 ($1.23 billion annuity) - Preliminary estimate, not won yet
- Powerball: $558.1 million cash, Jul. 19, 2023 ($1.0798 billion annuity) - California
- Powerball: $546.8 million cash, Jan. 20, 2021 ($731.1 million annuity) - Maryland
- Mega Millions: $536.6 million cash, Mar. 26, 2024 ($1.128 billion annuity) - New Jersey
- Powerball: $496 million cash, Oct. 4, 2021 ($699.8 million annuity) - California
- Powerball: $480.5 million cash, Aug. 23, 2017 ($758.7 million annuity) - Massachusetts
- Powerball: $477 million cash, Mar. 27, 2019 ($768.4 million annuity) - Wisconsin
- Mega Millions: $471 million cash, Mar. 30, 2012 ($656 million annuity) - Illinois, Kansas, Maryland
- Powerball: $450.2 million cash, Jan. 5, 2022 ($632.6 million annuity) - California, Wisconsin
- Powerball: $425.2 million cash, Jan. 1, 2024 ($842.4 million annuity) - Michigan
- Powerball: $407.2 million cash, Feb. 6, 2023 ($754.6 million annuity) - Washington
- Powerball: $396.2 million cash, Oct. 27, 2018 ($687.8 million annuity) - Iowa, New York
- Powerball: $384.7 million cash, Nov. 28, 2012 ($587.5 million annuity) - Arizona, Missouri
- Powerball: $381.1 million cash, Feb. 11, 2015 ($564.1 million annuity) - North Carolina, Puerto Rico, Texas
- Mega Millions: $378 million cash, Jul. 8, 2016 ($536 million annuity) - Indiana
- Powerball: $370.9 million cash, May 18, 2013 ($590.5 million annuity) - Florida
- Powerball: $352 million cash, Jan. 6, 2018 ($559.7 million annuity) - New Hampshire
The number of jackpot cash values in the top 25, by lottery game, are:
- Powerball: 17
- Mega Millions: 8
WOW... me first! Yay!
Wait a minute... whadya mean NO FREE STEAK for being first here?
Awwwww <snip!>
If no Saturday win, definitely will be #6
You watch: PB & MM will be merged into one huge national lottery with a matrix of 5/85 & 1/45. It's just a matter of time before 1 billion+ jackpots become "normal" and not enticing enough.
The roll over amounts seems low
In the top 9 for the Annuity or Cash Value......... Very nice ! ! ! Good luck to all of us
Let the games purchasing begin !!!!
I'm just happy my 15 finally hit. I play the same exact numbers for both MM and PB and that 15 has been elusive for a while.
I am just glad it wasn't the 23 again
Humm them you'll be looking at $3-4 billion jkpots
doubt they will ever merge
If you look at the stats on USAMega, 15 is the least picked Powerball number so congratulations on getting it.
I'm actually surprised people weren't saying the same thing about #4 last year. It hadn't come out for over 6 months. Then, when it finally appeared it appeared about 9 times within 3 months. And I believe 4-5 of those times were within March of 2023 when it finally showed up after being missing for 6 months. And I believe last I checked, it has appeared 15-16 times over the course of the past year.
It's been a long drought. The 15 hit in Powerball in January, and that was after nearly a year. I just need the 15 to hit again Saturday....along with the other 5 numbers. Although, I'll be more than happy just hitting the 1st 5 with the Power Play. Good luck to you!
Goodbye 1995 Honda Accord. Hello 2024 Ferrari F8
rather have a nice 1966 - 1973 Lamborghini Miura
9 second place winners and no one spent the extra $1.
My pool did not win with the number 23.
But the good news is we get to try again.
I like this pool. I paid only once to join and have been involved in several Mega Millions and Powerball draws.
Both games have surpassed the $1 billion mark.
Let's not forget California does not have Powerplay option.
I'll never know if they took my suggestion to @ least add Double play to their Powerball, but like Todd said it is not in their laws to allow that. Makes about as much sense as Nevada not offering lotteries because it is against their Constitution. Powerful lobbyists I'd venture to say from the one arm bandits no doubt.
I am a firm believer that winning the jackpot is all about luck.
However, you have to do something for the luck to find you.
That's why I buy my lottery ticket for every draw and hope that one day luck will find me.
Here is to wishing all of us who believe in luck a lucky draw.
To be fair, the same people that don't spend the extra $1 are the same people that would sit at a Blackjack table that pays 6:5 on a blackjack.
hehehehe
💰 best of luck to those playing 💰
Crazy to see Powerball roll 40 times and "only" get to 1.23 billion while the top is also 40 rolls for the 2 billion drawing. Good luck to us all on Saturday. I need a new truck and a modest house baby! I just want the million with powerplay!
The Saturday jackpot was raised to $1.3 billion, with a cash option of $608.9 million. Top 25 rankings are unchanged.
More cash Gotta love that !!! Good luck to all participants.
"The Saturday jackpot was raised to $1.3 billion, with a cash option of $608.9 million. "
I'm wondering if they managed a typo for the cash value. If the cash:annuity ratio stayed the same it would be $628.9 million cash. If it's really $608.9 that's a pretty big change in interest rates, and a fairly big coincidence that the difference is an even $20.0 million. The TX website hasn't posted the worksheet yet, but that should give us the answer if MUSL doesn't make a change first.
It's very common, and in fact rarely is the cash and annuity adjusted proportionally. Many times the cash value changes but the annuity is not adjusted. Keep in mind they are both estimates, and we are strictly speaking here about numbers being adjusted prior to the drawing.
Best of luck to all that play on this awesome platform on the interwebs! Got my qp for megamillions powerball megabucks for the weekend ahead!
good bye unemployment, hello $1mil dollars, I am still working for this amnt ($1mil) after taxes $650K
You'll be taxed at the highest rate - 37%
So you'll have 630K after taxes.
Am right there with you, but I always have the PP on so that's going to be 2M for me and 1,260,000 after paying Uncle Sam.
chatGPT gave me these numbers:
10 36 40 56 62 6
33 40 51 54 61 17
17 21 46 47 69 23
3 14 19 39 58 21
11 40 49 50 53 18
1 11 14 24 57 22
1 11 38 54 55 1
30 38 57 61 62 1
2 7 19 20 65 8
46 48 50 61 62 18
1 5 41 50 54 15
ok, well... how about THESE for MM Tonight... and Powerball tomorrow night
03-16-17-30-33, 18
03-16-20-33-46, 08
03-08-12-45-55, 08
13-16-19-30-39, 18
01-03-14-17-48, (not 28, but maybe 10 or 18)
been playing these numbers for ... a long time... I think they might hit soon...
if not tonight or tomorrow... maybe Monday Tuesday or Wednesday...
but... maybe posting them just jinxes them...
I dunno.