$400 MILLION: Powerball lottery jackpot skyrockets

Feb 16, 2014, 8:42 am (152 comments)

Powerball

6th-largest US jackpot ever; 8th-largest cash value

By Todd Northrop

For only the 6th time in the history of United States lotteries, a lottery jackpot has grown to $400 million or more.

The new high-water mark of $400 million for the current Powerball jackpot was achieved after no winning tickets were sold for Saturday night's $330.8 million grand prize.

The lump-sum cash payout value of Wednesday's Powerball jackpot is $227.8 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 August 7, 2013, when 3 winning tickets split a $448.4 million grand prize (see Three tickets to split $448 million Powerball jackpot, Lottery Post, Aug. 8, 2013).

Players should note that jackpot amounts are conservative estimates provided by the lotteries, and are often somewhat higher by the time the drawing occurs.

Wednesday's mammoth jackpot is the result of 15 consecutive draws without a winner.  The run-up started as a $40 million prize on December 28, 2013.

The winning numbers for Saturday, February 15, 2014 were 2, 9, 14, 21, and 23, with Powerball number 3.  The Power Play number was 3.

Even though nobody won the jackpot Saturday, 10 lucky players matched the first 5 numbers for a $1,000,000 prize: 2 from Florida, 1 from Georgia, 1 from Iowa, 2 from Michigan, 1 from New York, 1 from Ohio, 1 from Pennsylvania, and 1 from Texas.

Only one of the second-prize winners purchased the Power Play option — the ticket sold in Texas. Because that ticket was purchased with the Power Play option their second-prize win is 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.

108 tickets matched four white numbers plus the Powerball and won $10,000.  Of those tickets, 16 were purchased with the Power Play option, increasing the prize to $30,000, and 12 of the tickets were sold in California, where the prize was worth $5,937 this drawing.  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.

Following the Saturday drawing, the Powerball annuity jackpot estimate was raised $69.2 million from its previous amount of $330.8 million. The cash value was raised by $38.3 million from its previous amount of $189.5 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 later this year, as the state of Wyoming has approved a new state lottery with the intention of joining Powerball and other multi-state lottery games.  (See Wyoming officially becomes 44th state with a lotteryLottery 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 6th-largest lottery jackpot of all time in the United States, and the 4th-largest Powerball jackpot ever.  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.

  1. Mega Millions: $656 million, Mar. 30, 2012 - Illinois, Kansas, Maryland
  2. Mega Millions: $648 million, Dec. 17, 2013 - California, Georgia
  3. Powerball: $590.5 million, May 18, 2013 - Florida
  4. Powerball: $587.5 million, Nov. 28, 2012 - Arizona, Missouri
  5. Powerball: $448.4 million, Aug. 7, 2013 - Minnesota, New Jersey (2)
  6. Powerball: $400 million, Feb. 19, 2014 - Preliminary estimate, not won yet
  7. Powerball: $399.4 million, Sep. 18, 2013 - South Carolina
  8. Mega Millions: $390 million, Mar. 6, 2007 - Georgia, New Jersey
  9. Mega Millions: $380 million, Jan. 4, 2011 - Idaho, Washington
  10. Powerball: $365 million, Feb. 18, 2006 - Nebraska
  11. The Big Game: $363 million, May 9, 2000 - Illinois, Michigan
  12. Powerball: $340 million, Oct. 19, 2005 - Oregon
  13. Powerball: $338.3 million, Mar. 23, 2013 - New Jersey
  14. Powerball: $337 million, Aug. 15, 2012 - Michigan
  15. Powerball: $336.4 million, Feb. 11, 2012 - Rhode Island
  16. Mega Millions: $336 million, Aug. 28, 2009 - California, New York
  17. The Big Game: $331 million, Apr. 16, 2002 - Georgia, Illinois, New Jersey
  18. Mega Millions: $330 million, Aug. 31, 2007 - Maryland, New Jersey, Texas, Virginia
  19. Mega Millions: $319 million, Mar. 25, 2011 - New York
  20. Mega Millions: $315 million, Nov. 15, 2005 - California
  21. Powerball: $314.9 million, Dec. 25, 2002 - West Virgina
  22. Powerball: $314.3 million, Aug. 25, 2007 - Indiana
  23. Powerball: $295.7 million, Jul. 29, 1998 - Indiana
  24. Powerball: $295 million, Aug. 25, 2001 - Delaware, Kentucky, Minnesota, New Hampshire
  25. Mega Millions: $294 million, Jul. 2, 2004 - Massachusetts

For those keeping score, the number of jackpots in the top 25, by lottery game, are:

  • Powerball: 14
  • Mega Millions: 9
  • 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 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.

Looking at the cash value, the upcoming Powerball jackpot ranks as the 8th-largest cash value in U.S. history.

  1. Mega Millions: $471 million cash, Mar. 30, 2012 ($656 million annuity) - Illinois, Kansas, Maryland
  2. Powerball: $384.7 million cash, Nov. 28, 2012 ($587.5 million annuity) - Arizona, Missouri
  3. Powerball: $370.9 million cash, May 18, 2013 ($590.5 million annuity) - Florida
  4. Mega Millions: $347.6 million cash, Dec. 17, 2013 ($648 million annuity) - California, Georgia
  5. Powerball: $258.2 million cash, Aug. 7, 2013 ($448.4 million annuity) - Minnesota, New Jersey (2)
  6. Mega Millions: $240 million cash, Jan. 4, 2011 ($380 million annuity) - Idaho, Washington
  7. Mega Millions: $233.1 million cash, Mar. 6, 2007 ($390 million annuity) - Georgia, New Jersey
  8. Powerball: $227.8 million cash, Feb. 19, 2014 ($400 million annuity) - Preliminary estimate, not won yet
  9. Powerball: $224.7 million cash, Aug. 15, 2012 ($337 million annuity) - Michigan
  10. Powerball: $223.3 million cash, Sep. 18, 2013 ($399.4 million annuity) - South Carolina
  11. Mega Millions: $214 million cash, Aug. 28, 2009 ($336 million annuity) - California, New York
  12. Powerball: $211 million cash, Mar. 23, 2013 ($338.3 million annuity) - New Jersey
  13. Powerball: $210 million cash, Feb. 11, 2012 ($336.4 million annuity) - Rhode Island
  14. Mega Millions: $202.9 million cash, Mar. 25, 2011 ($319 million annuity) - New York
  15. Mega Millions: $194.4. million cash, Aug. 31, 2007 ($330 million annuity) - Maryland, New Jersey, Texas, Virginia
  16. Mega Millions: $185 million cash, Nov. 15, 2005 ($315 million annuity) - California
  17. The Big Game: $180 million cash, May 9, 2000 ($363 million annuity) - Illinois, Michigan
  18. Powerball: $177.3 million cash, Feb. 18, 2006 ($365 million annuity) - Nebraska
  19. Powerball: $170.5 million cash, Dec. 25, 2002 ($314.9 million annuity) - West Virginia
  20. Mega Millions: $168 million cash, July 2, 2004 ($294 million annuity) - Massachusetts
  21. Mega Millions: $167.7 million cash, Feb. 22, 2008 ($275 million annuity) - Georgia
  22. Powerball: $166 million cash, Aug. 25, 2001 ($295 million annuity) - Delaware, Kentucky, Minnesota, New Hampshire
  23. Mega Millions: $165.2 million cash, May 4, 2010 ($266 million annuity) - California
  24. Powerball: $164.4 million cash, won Oct. 19, 2005 ($340 million annuity) - Oregon
  25. Mega Millions: $164 million cash, Feb. 28, 2006 ($270 million annuity) - Ohio

The number of jackpot cash values in the top 25, by lottery game, are:

  • Mega Millions: 12
  • Powerball: 12
  • The Big Game: 1

Lottery Post Staff

Comments

Win$500Quick's avatarWin$500Quick

This is a large jackpot, but it won't get media attentiom until it pass $500 million.

maringoman's avatarmaringoman

Sad Cheers 6 pack Corona Extra + limes and 1 ticket sounds reasonable.

THRIFTY's avatarTHRIFTY

$2 POWERBALL LOTTERY TICKET WILL BE TURNED INTO $400 MILLION.

rcbbuckeye's avatarrcbbuckeye

Quote: Originally posted by Win$500Quick on Feb 16, 2014

This is a large jackpot, but it won't get media attentiom until it pass $500 million.

Don't care about media's attention. It's got my attention.

Of course, even when the jackpot has reset, it still has my attention.

schmuckatelly's avatarschmuckatelly

Quote: Originally posted by Win$500Quick on Feb 16, 2014

This is a large jackpot, but it won't get media attentiom until it pass $500 million.

It will get the local media attention when the winner is in their state. Dang vultures.

helpmewin's avatarhelpmewin

                         

                                                         

dpoly1's avatardpoly1

A win on Wednesday would be reason to enjoy a fine Cognac! In the backseat of my new Mulsanne ............

Cool

hearsetrax's avatarhearsetrax

Gleno's avatarGleno

Bought my powerball ticket at the WAWA convenience store in central N..J. You can only use the lottery booth machine at this location.

Put my numbers on the betting slip and must have put it in the wrong way because it did a quick pick instead.Did not wish to spend another $2.00, so let it ride on the quick pick.

The quick pick did not generate one number that came out on Saturday. Four of my own significant numbers did come out, but that's the price paid for using one of those lottery machine booths. 

Guess the strategy of buying one quick pick and one with my own selections is the best option, next time. 

Did see Mr Todd Northrop on a CNN YouTube about the Powerball / Mega game. He did mention that winning the jackpot has less of a chance than being struck by lightning. Wonder if that comparison includes lightning strikes to homes, which occurs a lot of times across the country. 

 

What?

helpmewin's avatarhelpmewin

Quote: Originally posted by Gleno on Feb 16, 2014

Bought my powerball ticket at the WAWA convenience store in central N..J. You can only use the lottery booth machine at this location.

Put my numbers on the betting slip and must have put it in the wrong way because it did a quick pick instead.Did not wish to spend another $2.00, so let it ride on the quick pick.

The quick pick did not generate one number that came out on Saturday. Four of my own significant numbers did come out, but that's the price paid for using one of those lottery machine booths. 

Guess the strategy of buying one quick pick and one with my own selections is the best option, next time. 

Did see Mr Todd Northrop on a CNN YouTube about the Powerball / Mega game. He did mention that winning the jackpot has less of a chance than being struck by lightning. Wonder if that comparison includes lightning strikes to homes, which occurs a lot of times across the country. 

 

What?

oh BUMMERThud Sorry to hear that, yes he says that but don't forget the shark

RedStang's avatarRedStang

400MILL will start the frenzy.                                                                                                                                     

dallascowboyfan's avatardallascowboyfan

$400 Million Woo Hoo Banana

En ReVal

I just want 4-5 numbers! Received 30-day lay-off work notice and am scared to death but I have to get back out there.  Have to push pursuing my PhD back to next year--it hurts.  I am not going to give up playing my 2 lines! winning for some comes so easy but a strategy for others

Shunan45

Do you know your jackpot getting to high because there's no winner from yesterday's drawing?

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