7th-largest US jackpot ever; 6th-largest cash value
By Todd Northrop
For only the 7th time in the history of United States lotteries, a lottery jackpot has grown to $350 million or more.
The new high-water mark of $350 million for the current Powerball jackpot was achieved after no winning tickets were sold for Saturday night's $270 million grand prize.
The lump-sum cash payout value of Wednesday's Powerball jackpot is $222.8 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.
This is the largest Powerball jackpot since Nov. 28, 2012, when 2 tickets sold in Arizona and Missouri split a $587.5 million Powerball jackpot (see Record $587.5 million Powerball jackpot won by 2 tickets, Lottery Post, Nov. 29, 2012).
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 12 consecutive draws without a winner. The run-up started as a $40 million prize on April 3, 2013.
The winning numbers for Saturday, May 11, 2013 were 6, 13, 19, 23, and 43, with Powerball number 16.
Even though nobody won the jackpot Saturday, 16 lucky players matched the first 5 numbers for a $1,000,000 prize: 1 from Arizona, 3 from California, 1 from Indiana, 1 from Kentucky, 1 from Louisiana, 2 from Michigan, 1 from Minnesota, 2 from New York, 2 from North Carolina, and 2 from Pennsylvania.
The 3 California second-prize winners will each be awarded $573,694, because California does not award fixed prizes. 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.
None of the second-prize winners purchased the Power Play option. If they had, their second-prize win would have automatically doubled to $2 million. 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.
93 tickets matched four white numbers plus the Powerball and won $10,000. Of those tickets, 11 were purchased with the Power Play option, increasing the prize to $40,000, and 8 of the tickets were sold in California, where the prize was worth $8,940 this drawing.
Following the Saturday drawing, the Powerball annuity jackpot estimate was raised $80 million from its previous amount of $270 million. The cash value was raised by $47 million from its previous amount of $175.8 million.
The next Powerball drawing will take place Wednesday night at 10:59 pm Eastern Time.
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 43 states, plus the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Drawings are Wednesdays and Saturdays at 10:59 p.m. Eastern Time. Tickets cost $2 each.
A 44th Powerball state will be added some time in the next year, as the state of Wyoming has approved a new state lottery with the intention of joining Powerball and other multi-state games. (See Wyoming officially becomes 44th state with a lottery, Lottery Post, Mar. 14, 2013.)
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 7th-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
- Powerball: $587.5 million, Nov. 28, 2012 - Arizona, Missouri
- 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: $350 million, May 15, 2013 - Preliminary estimate, not won yet
- Powerball: $340 million, Oct. 19, 2005 - Oregon
- Powerball: $338.3 million, Mar. 23, 2013 - New Jersey
- Powerball: $337 million, Aug. 15, 2012 - Michigan
- 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: $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
For those keeping score, the number of jackpots in the top 25, by lottery game, are:
- Mega Millions: 11
- Powerball: 12
- 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 6th-largest cash value in U.S. history.
- Mega Millions: $471 million cash, Mar. 30, 2012 ($656 million annuity) - Illinois, Kansas, Maryland
- Powerball: $384.7 million cash, Nov. 28, 2012 ($587.5 million annuity) - Arizona, Missouri
- 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
- Powerball: $224.7 million cash, Aug. 15, 2012 ($337 million annuity) - Michigan
- Powerball: $222.8 million cash, May 15, 2013 ($350 million annuity) - Preliminary estimate, not won yet
- Mega Millions: $214 million cash, Aug. 28, 2009 ($336 million annuity) - California, New York
- Powerball: $211 million cash, Mar. 23, 2013 ($338.3 million annuity) - New Jersey
- Powerball: $210 million cash, Feb. 11, 2012 ($336.4 million annuity) - Rhode Island
- 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
WHAAAAA HOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!
I bet they bump it before Wednesday.
i have an affinity for the number 222, i better win this one.
$359 million Woo Hoo
time to buy some more tickets.
Getting exciting, good luck everyone.
$350M+
I bought my ticket on Friday,along with my ticket for last nights jackpot and Friday's and Tuesday's MegaMillions tickets.All you need is one ticket to win it all!
I add the powerplay feature about 80% of the time. I shall be doing that this time too. One line only. Its all I need. Goodluck people!
Let the good times roll.
Roll baby roll will be buying tickets today [
$350 million would be an awesome nest egg! Imagine all the dreams you could make come true with that. I would do some traveling and buy a dream house (not a Barbie one), although, Malibu would be a nice place to live. Part of me wants the Powerball jackpot to roll again to half a billion though. I'm going to buy some of my tickets on Wednesday. I sometimes feel luckier buying on the day of the draw.
Good luck to everyone!
Its exciting to see both Mega Millions and Powerball are doing well. You cant win if you dont play!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Lets go Maryland.
Looks like I'm going to have to dig out some good numbers from my little box of numbers! Can only afford 10 bucks worth! It only takes 6 numbers to win, just hope one of them are mine.
Since I live in California I am relatively new to the PB scene. Does the jackpot usually jump this much when it gets this high, or did us Cali players contribute to a bigger jump?
$350 MILLION 7th-largest US jackpot ever; 6th-largest cash value
Good Luck everyone
Got my tickets, all $24.00 worth, I think will go higher like $380 before Wednesday, if it rolls over $576 is in reach..
Good Luck to all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
here is a chart of the PB jackpot since February.
should"nt mega million B up 2. they we'er the same about a month ago an PB left MM behind??
PB is on rollover #12 and the jackpot sits at $350 million. The MM in currently on rollover #18 and it's prize is $170 million. The record MM jackpot of $656 million was reached on it's 19th draw.
Yes its California , who else could be blamed for this meteoric rise- Idaho? l don't think so.California joined the PB a month ago- and looky here.California is not called the " Golden State" for nothing.Its where the Money is.
Hollywood-Disneyland,Magic Mt, Yosemite,Seaworld,Golden Gate- you name it, it all spells M O N E Y. Why should the PB be any different?
I think they should B running neck 2 neck
Not really, the cash amount is different win$. Which prize would you go for at present?
either 1
Seem a lil strange !! O well cant beat them !!! play them
Fortunately being new to the scene doesn't limit you to just the data available since California joined, a complete history of PB is available at USAMega however the number of tickets sold for $2 at this level is new to everyone since this is the first time the jackpot has been this high since the price change.
Funny, according to that site this is not the first time it's been this high since the price change.
This is the highest its been without anyone win it. Of course if domeone wins wednesday then $325 million will once again be highest pb jackpot without a winner.
Ah ok, he didn't word it correctly. I understand now. Last time it was nearly this high it jumped quite a bit. Will be interesting to see the jump if there is no winner on Wednesday now that California is in the mix. I recall the MM jumping nearly 300 million when it was this large last year. With the $2 ticket and now with California in the mix, how big do you think the jump will be?
Oh My Goodness ................. I do believe that about $135,000,000 after taxes (in PA) would be a very nice prize!
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
Interesting observation. I knew it was growing SLOW, but didn't figure out how slow. Wonder why? Maybe because Powerball is pretty high and is stealing MM thunder>>??
Since you guys showed up, faster than ever.
Actually, Megamillions is a better bet, with its current expectation value being around 0.85. Powerball is merely 0.69, this because its price is double.
This simple mathematical fact will make no difference though. The lottery makes money by assuming the irrationality of its players, and for them, this is a very good bet.
Are you all ready to see a billion dollar jackpot soon? It will happen, no one can win. Previous jackpot winners need to go all in on this since they have the best chances of winning.
Appearantly, you found the information you were seeking.
You my girl Jill!!!
You always speak the truth...
Are you suggesting previous winners know something that gives them an edge? Or that only they can afford the number of tickets needed to win?
Only one combinations will win it when it's won regardless of the number of tickets sold, that should give everyone who buys a ticket an equal chance.
I think players forgot about Mega Millions, when it failed to break $100 million annuity for over seven months.
I think they do have a bit of an edge. If they've won before, it's easy for them to win. I pretty much guarantee that someday in the near future we will see a big 2X MM or PB winner. The odds would be uhh I dunno, 1 in 500 trillion for that to happen. Maybe the Hispanic guy from Jersey will buy tickets & win again. lol
About $150 million after taxes in Wisconsin if I were to be a sole winner.
Somehow, someway I'd manage to survive on that.
That'll buy a lotta Limburger!
I would say at least similar to the mm last year of nearly 300 mil. But I have a feeling many people are also playing mm at 170 MIL and not spending as much as they would have if the only large jackpot had been pb. I dont know if I be happy spending more on pb than mm in california. This last drawing paid everyone in cali much less than the rest of the country.
Which is better? More or Less! Getting PB/MM tickets a few days early before the drawing, or buying them the day of the drawing, Or Does it really matter. Just would like to know what all of y'all like to do! Good Luck to All of you!!!
Some people say they like to get QPs at the night of the draw because they get better results. Personally, I have bought tickets minutes before the cut off time and my results weren't any better than tickets I bought days before the draw.
When the jackpot gets over $200 million, I like to get my tickets days in advance of the drawing just to avoid long lines at the store.
It doesn't matter when you buy the tickets.If you're gonna be lucky,you're gonna be lucky.If you ain't gonna be lucky,you ain't gonna be lucky.
I think the day of the draw is a good time to get lucky.
I hope the Powerball jackpot continues to roll to a new United States record.
no need for a billion dollar jackpot (wouldn't 10 million be enough for anyone?) why can no one win before it reaches a billion? do previous jackpot winners have the best chance because they can buy more tickets? would a previous winner actually want to win again or think they could? same chance for anyone, anywhere, and whenever they purchase the ticket.
$10 million is a lot of money but would you buy a $2 ticket for a 10 million dollar jackpot if the odds were 1 in 176 million? I know I sure wouldn't.
Yes. Usually when it's over $250M more people start playing, and the ones who usually play, buy more tickets. So then there are bigger leaps in the dollar value.
I would say yes. If you're on a limited budget, which one are you more likely to play? It's $350M vs $170M. If the PB pays out this Wednesday, there will be big jumps in the MM after that
I plan on playing the day of the drawing since I get paid that day so I hope that their is not a big line at circle k when I go in. Good luck to all who play this big one.-weshar75
I agree with you about the 10 million. Because of PB's and MM's ridiculously high odds to win the ridiculously high jackpots, I don't even play those games. I know I won't win one of those huge jackpots ... and don't need or want that much.
It is obvious, however, that there are a heck-of-a-lot people that think they need that much ... enough people playing those games to finance their huge jackpots!!!
Well hats off to you. I applaud your stance. Nothing more irritating to me than the people who win the huge jackpots who then turnaround and complain about it endlessly, keep their jobs and never enjoy it. I always wonder why those people bother to play. It's one of the great mysteries of life. A riddle for the sphinx. If you only want enough to take care of your bills, more pwer to you. PB and MM would be a waste.
But for the rest of us who do play in the hopes of hitting it big, maybe we have a large, close knit family we would like to help out. Maybe we know someone in desperate need of expensive medical care. Friends who've lost their jobs and are down on their luck. Children with no money for college. A high school needing books, computers, science equipment. Maybe for those of us who have situations like these in our lives, a 100M jackpot would work out better than a $10M. Dreaming big isn't always about greed or selfishness. Don't scoff or deride others without knowing what they want it for.
The bigger the jackpot the better 'cause I'm a greedy s.o.b & I'm not afraid to admit it!
I actually thought about that the other day. If the $587M PB hadn't been claimed. I'm fairly certain it would have gotten there in the next 2-3 rollovers. People had been going crazy with ticket purchases.
Unfortunately, I also realized that person(s) would have had the biggest target on them safety wise. Unless the states made an exception, not being anonymous to claim it would have been begging for trouble. Winners have been shot, poisoned, threatened with kidnapping for jackpots much much less than that. I really believe a billion dollar winner would have to keep 24/hr bodyguard protection from the moment the ticket is claimed until the day they died. Family and close friends would have been at risk as well for kidnapping and extortion attempts.
Which brings me to my question. If you ever won a jackpot large enough to be detrimental to your life, can you (after wining) move to a state that allows for anonymous claimants and claim your winnings there? I know that it's set up that no matter where you move to you still have to pay taxes in the state you lived in at the time of the ticket purchase. But can someone establish residency in a state for claiming purposes only? Or must you claim it in the state you won?
My ticket says "Iowa Powerball" on it.I assume that I must make my claim in Iowa,not Missouri or Illinois or any other state.
No you have to claim a ticket in the state in which it is bought
<snip>. In that case, no. I wouldn't want to win a billion dollars. $350-$550M will work just fine
There'd be a $1 Billion Dead Man Walking sign on my back if I did. It would probably freak me out. Family members would be nothing but ransom money to some greedy desperate person.