15th-largest US jackpot ever; 6th-largest cash value
By Todd Northrop
For only the 15th time in the history of United States lotteries, a lottery jackpot run-up has crossed into $300 million+ territory.
The new high-water mark of $305 million for the current Powerball jackpot was achieved after no winning tickets were sold for Saturday night's $253 million grand prize.
The lump-sum cash payout value of Wednesday's Powerball jackpot is $203.3 million. After-tax cash and annuity prize amounts are reported state-by-state on the Jackpot Analysis page at USA Mega, a web site devoted to the Powerball and Mega Millions multi-state lottery games.
Players should note that jackpot amounts are conservative estimates provided by the lotteries, and are often somewhat higher by the time the drawing occurs.
The mammoth prize is the result of 14 draws without a winner. The run-up started as a $40 million prize on June 27, 2012.
The winning numbers for Saturday, August 11, 2012 were 4, 13, 39, 46, and 51, with Powerball number 1.
Even though nobody won the jackpot Saturday, 5 lucky players matched the first 5 numbers for a $1,000,000 prize: 5 lucky players matched the first 5 numbers for a $1,000,000 prize: 2 from Florida, 1 from New Jersey, 1 from North Carolina, and 1 from Pennsylvania.
None of the second prize winners had purchased the Power Play option for an extra $1, which would have increased their second prize win to $2 million.
66 tickets matched four white numbers plus the Powerball and won $10,000. Of those tickets, 4 were purchased with the Power Play option, increasing the prize to $40,000.
Following the Saturday drawing, the Powerball annuity jackpot estimate was raised $52 million from its previous amount of $253 million. The cash value was raised by $32.8 million from its previous amount of $170.5 million.
When a Powerball ticket is purchased with the Power Play option for an extra $1 per ticket, any non-jackpot prize is increased according to a fixed prize schedule, which can be found on the Powerball Drawing Detail page at USA Mega, as well as on the Powerball Prize Payouts page at Lottery Post.
Powerball is now played in 42 states, plus the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Drawings are Wednesdays and Saturdays at 11:00 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
Wednesday's Powerball jackpot currently stands as the 15th-largest lottery jackpot of all time in the United States. That position may rise before the drawing Wednesday night, as lotteries are typically conservative in their initial estimates, and brisk sales may push the jackpot estimate higher by draw time.
If nobody wins Wednesday, it's anyone's guess how high it will go.
- Mega Millions: $656 million, Mar. 30, 2012 - Illinois, Kansas, Maryland
- Mega Millions: $390 million, Mar. 6, 2007 - Georgia, New Jersey
- Mega Millions: $380 million, Jan. 4, 2011 - Idaho, Washington
- Powerball: $365 million, Feb. 18, 2006 - Nebraska
- The Big Game: $363 million, May 9, 2000 - Illinois, Michigan
- Powerball: $340 million, Oct. 19, 2005 - Oregon
- Powerball: $336.4 million, Feb. 11, 2012 - Rhode Island
- Mega Millions: $336 million, Aug. 28, 2009 - California, New York
- The Big Game: $331 million, Apr. 16, 2002 - Georgia, Illinois, New Jersey
- Mega Millions: $330 million, Aug. 31, 2007 - Maryland, New Jersey, Texas, Virginia
- Mega Millions: $319 million, Mar. 25, 2011 - New York
- Mega Millions: $315 million, Nov. 15, 2005 - California
- Powerball: $314.9 million, Dec. 26, 2002 - West Virgina
- Powerball: $314.3 million, Aug. 25, 2007 - Indiana
- Powerball: $305 million, Aug. 15, 2012 - preliminary estimate, not won yet
- Powerball: $295.7 million, Jul. 29, 1998 - Indiana
- Powerball: $295 million, Aug. 25, 2001 - Delaware, Kentucky, Minnesota, New Hampshire
- Mega Millions: $294 million, Jul. 2, 2004 - Massachusetts
- Powerball: $276.3 million, Mar. 15, 2008 - West Virgina
- Mega Millions: $275 million, Feb. 22, 2008 - Georgia
- Mega Millions: $270 million, Feb. 28, 2006 - Ohio
- Mega Millions: $266 million, May 4, 2010 - California
- Mega Millions: $265 million, Apr. 18, 2006 - Ohio
- Powerball: $261.6 million, Jun. 2, 2010 - Ohio
- Powerball: $261.3 million, Jul. 9, 2003 - Missouri, Pennsylvania
For those keeping score, the number of jackpots in the top 25, by lottery game, are:
- Mega Millions: 12
- Powerball: 11
- The Big Game: 2
The Big Game is the original name of Mega Millions, from the game's first drawing on Sep. 6, 1996 through May 14, 2002. The name was changed to Mega Millions starting with the May 17, 2002 drawing.
Top 20 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.
Looking at the cash value, the upcoming Powerball jackpot is even better than the annuity, ranking as the sixth-largest cash value in U.S. history.
- Mega Millions: $471 million cash, Mar. 30, 2012 ($656 million annuity) - Illinois, Kansas, Maryland
- Mega Millions: $240 million cash, Jan. 4, 2011 ($380 million annuity) - Idaho, Washington
- Mega Millions: $233.1 million cash, Mar. 6, 2007 ($390 million annuity) - Georgia, New Jersey
- Mega Millions: $214 million cash, Aug. 28, 2009 ($336 million annuity) - California, New York
- Powerball: $210 million cash, Feb. 11, 2012 ($336.4 million annuity) - Rhode Island
- Powerball: $203.3 million cash, Aug. 15, 2012 ($305 million annuity) - preliminary estimate, not won yet
- Mega Millions: $202.9 million cash, Mar. 25, 2011 ($319 million annuity) - New York
- Mega Millions: $194.4. million cash, Aug. 31, 2007 ($330 million annuity) - Maryland, New Jersey, Texas, Virginia
- Mega Millions: $185 million cash, Nov. 15, 2005 ($315 million annuity) - California
- The Big Game: $180 million cash, May 9, 2000 ($363 million annuity) - Illinois, Michigan
- Powerball: $177.3 million cash, Feb. 18, 2006 ($365 million annuity) - Nebraska
- Mega Millions: $168 million cash, July 2, 2004 ($294 million annuity) - Massachusetts
- Mega Millions: $167.7 million cash, Feb. 22, 2008 ($275 million annuity) - Georgia
- Powerball: $166 million cash, Aug. 25, 2001 ($295 million annuity) - Delaware, Kentucky, Minnesota, New Hampshire
- Mega Millions: $165.2 million cash, May 4, 2010 ($266 million annuity) - California
- Powerball: $164.4 million cash, won Oct. 19, 2005 ($340 million annuity) - Oregon
- Mega Millions: $164 million cash, Feb. 28, 2006 ($270 million annuity) - Ohio
- Powerball: $161.5 million cash, July 29, 1998 ($295.7 million annuity) - Indiana
- Mega Millions: $156.1 million cash, Sept. 16, 2005 ($258 million annuity) - New Jersey
- Mega Millions: $153.3 million cash, Dec. 27, 2011 ($208 million annuity) - New York
I'll buy my ticket for Wed, wish me luck
PowerBall is finally in the range it was designed for, MegaMillion will just have to sat on the sideline until this run is over.
I'm tempted to drop $60 on this one but experience informs me that its not a guarantee that I will win much with that kind of purchase so $9 is all I'm spending. Good luck players.
Now Powerball is finally getting exciting to play. I now have the urge to splurge on this game! Instead of 1 or 2 tickets I will probably buy a total of 5!
POWERBALL WINNER WILL BE ME THIS WEDNESDAY!!!!!!!!!
POWERBALL IF YOUR WATCHING THIS SET THE TERMINALS TO HIT PAINESVILLE, OHIO
Thanks in advance for my winning jack-pot ticket!
LOL
The temptation to spend more is haunting me too. Thank god tho, they made POWERBALL $2.00 otherwise I'd prob spend $20-30 bucks on this game at the current jackpot prize level but that extra dollar keeps me in check and actually helps me budget to spend less.
I went crazy and spent $127 when Mega Millions got over 600 MILLION and I never spend more than $5-$10 per game EVER when it's below $300 MILLION.
With that money I'd start a part-time professional drag raging team (Full time if I land a sponsor). Well that, and I would arrange to finance a photoshoot of my favorite UK glamour models in my house for a week.
I am buying tickets in three states!!!
I took some time off from playing and it looks like I'm coming back to the game just in time.
I'll be looking to spend a lil more than $6 come Wednesday.
I dropped $35 on that MegaMillions jackpot and won absolutely nothing. I was so mad!
I bought a $6 Powerball ticket for last night drawing, and I won $4 for a total loss of $2. My coworkers did a powerball pool for last night drawing. They bought like 50 tickets for a zero return. I was not included in the pool. They also collected the money for Wednesday drawing , and they did not ask me to participate. Good luck to them.
@ maringoman
well the powerball jackpot just became very very very interesting
well good luck to those playing but I think we're gonna watch it roll over once more b4 b4 it gets hit in VA
Here we go.......
Good luck everybody!
Hoping for Texas to have her first PB winner! Me!
$305M+
You should demand to be allowed in the pool in case they win.
Then you can sue them for some kind of discrimination and have swarms of slimy, squirming, slithering lawyers descend on them and envelope them in an undulating, squirming, writhing, slithering ball of slime.
And become very rich.
Along with the lawyers.