7th-largest cash value in history
By Todd Northrop
Ready to start dreaming about dollar signs again?
Just four months after people from every country went into frenzy trying to find creative ways to buy tickets for the biggest jackpot the world had ever seen, Powerball is back with another top-10 jackpot that can deliver multi-generational wealth.
After nobody won Wednesday's advertised $348 million grand prize, the Powerball jackpot increased to a whopping $415 million for Saturday's drawing — the 9th-largest US lottery jackpot of all time.
But since most winners choose the lump-sum cash option, the $269.7 million cash value of Saturday's Powerball jackpot is what might get people buying a few extra tickets. It's the 7th-largest cash value of any jackpot in US lottery history.
The complete top-25 list of United States lottery jackpot annuity and cash values can be found at the end of this article. For the first time, a jackpot must be greater than $400 million to make it into the top-10, as number 10 on the list is $414 million.
Players looking to calculate what they would receive after the initial federal and state tax withholdings can find it all pre-calculated for each Powerball jurisdiction on the Jackpot Analysis page at USA Mega, a web site devoted to the Powerball and Mega Millions multi-state lottery games.
Saturday's mega boatload of cash is the result of 18 consecutive draws without a winner. The run-up started as a $40 million prize on March 5.
Players should note that jackpot amounts are conservative estimates provided by the lotteries, and are often somewhat higher by the time the drawing occurs. For example, the original estimate for Wednesday's drawing was $348 million, but by the time all the proceeds were counted just before draw-time, the jackpot had swelled to $361.5 million. The cash value increased from $226.1 million to $234.9 million.
The winning numbers for Wednesday, May 4, 2016 were 30, 47, 57, 66, and 69, with Powerball number 3. The Power Play number was 3.
Although nobody won the jackpot Wednesday night, 2 lucky players matched the first 5 numbers for a $1,000,000 prize: 1 from Florida and 1 from New York. Neither player purchased their winning ticket with the Power Play option. If they had, their prize would have been automatically doubled to $2,000,000.
40 tickets matched four white numbers plus the Powerball and won $50,000. Of those tickets, 8 were purchased with the Power Play option, increasing the prize to $150,000, and 4 were purchased in California where the prize was $34,285 this drawing. California prize amounts differ from the rest of the country because the state 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.
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.
Following the Wednesday drawing, the Powerball annuity jackpot estimate was raised $53.5 million from its previous amount of $361.5 million. The cash value was raised by $34.8 million from its previous amount of $234.9 million.
The next Powerball drawing will take place Saturday day night at 10:59 pm Eastern Time.
When a Powerball ticket is purchased with the Power Play option for an extra $1 per ticket, the second prize amount doubles to $2,000,000, and all other non-jackpot prizes are multiplied by the Power Play number randomly drawn that evening.
A complete list of prizes available for matching various numbers 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 44 states, plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Drawings are 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 9th-largest lottery jackpot of all time. The amount of the jackpot may rise even further by the time the drawing takes place, as lotteries are typically conservative in their initial estimates.
- Powerball: $1.5864 billion, Jan. 13, 2016 - California, Florida, Tennessee
- Mega Millions: $656 million, Mar. 30, 2012 - Illinois, Kansas, Maryland
- Mega Millions: $636 million, Dec. 17, 2013 - California, Georgia
- Powerball: $590.5 million, May 18, 2013 - Florida
- Powerball: $587.5 million, Nov. 28, 2012 - Arizona, Missouri
- Powerball: $564.1 million, Feb. 11, 2015 - North Carolina, Puerto Rico, Texas
- Powerball: $448.4 million, Aug. 7, 2013 - Minnesota, New Jersey (2)
- Powerball: $425.3 million, Feb. 19, 2014 - California
- Powerball: $415 million, May 7, 2016 - Preliminary estimate, no winner yet
- Mega Millions: $414 million, Mar. 18, 2014 - Florida, Maryland
- Powerball: $399.4 million, Sep. 18, 2013 - South Carolina
- 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: $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: $321 million, Nov. 4, 2014 - New York
- Mega Millions: $319 million, Mar. 25, 2011 - New York
- Mega Millions: $315 million, Nov. 15, 2005 - California
For those keeping score, the number of jackpots in the top 25, by lottery game, are:
- Powerball: 13
- Mega Millions: 10
- 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.
The new Powerball jackpot ranks as the 7th-largest lump-sum cash value jackpot in history.
- Powerball: $983.5 million cash, Jan. 13, 2016 ($1.5864 billion annuity) - California, Florida, Tennessee
- 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
- Powerball: $381.1 million cash, Feb. 11, 2015 ($564.1 million annuity) - North Carolina, Puerto Rico, Texas
- Powerball: $370.9 million cash, May 18, 2013 ($590.5 million annuity) - Florida
- Mega Millions: $347.6 million cash, Dec. 17, 2013 ($636 million annuity) - California, Georgia
- Powerball: $269.7 million cash, May 7, 2016 ($415 million annuity) - Preliminary estimate, no winner yet
- Powerball: $258.2 million cash, Aug. 7, 2013 ($448.4 million annuity) - Minnesota, New Jersey (2)
- 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: $230.9 million cash, Mar. 18, 2014 ($414 million annuity) - Florida, Maryland
- Powerball: $227.8 million cash, Feb. 19, 2014 ($425.3 million annuity) - California
- Powerball: $224.7 million cash, Aug. 15, 2012 ($337 million annuity) - Michigan
- Powerball: $223.3 million cash, Sep. 18, 2013 ($399.4 million annuity) - South Carolina
- 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: $197.5 million cash, Nov. 4, 2014 ($321 million annuity) - New York
- Powerball: $197.4 million cash, Sep. 30, 2015 ($310.5 million annuity) - Michigan
- Mega Millions: $194.4 million cash, Aug. 31, 2007 ($330 million annuity) - Maryland, New Jersey, Texas, Virginia
- Powerball: $191.9 million cash, Mar. 2, 2016 ($291.4 million annuity) - Florida
- 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
- Mega Millions: $177.3 million cash, Jan. 16, 2015 ($270 million annuity) - Illinois
The number of jackpot cash values in the top 25, by lottery game, are:
- Powerball: 13
- Mega Millions: 11
- The Big Game: 1
That was a big jump....
The frenzy begins.....i hope a regular, dedicated lottery player wins for once. All the "I never play the lottery but thought what the heck....i will buy one today" AND win stories are a little too common
Good luck all
I'm ready to play!
WE PREDICTED POWERBALL...But Real Altruism is even better. Yes I have done so repeatedly, and did so last night for 315 Million as we gave out the list to friends, and lotterypost STAR LOTTERY forum. Again for this weekend at 400 Million plus, Our goal is to advance winners and advantages for players in order to truly HELP PLAYERS, and share the winnings. Why? Because winning a huge jackpot for one person or family is really absurd waste of money, as much lottery play is. How good is it for one payoff when a much greater value can be shared. Get Real. We are.
The claims of MULTI-MILLION LOTTERIES are quite distinctly a gambling hall theft by Government, which claims to build education, while it really is a ploy to build more government and control. No one is allowed to run a lottery except the states themselves. How curious is it that the claim to altruism is not real, yet so appealing. Millions will play the 400 Million more this week, and everyone of the 200 Million players loses except the few winners. The sign of real intelligence is to have a real reason and direction purpose for winning, not just to be rich. So here we are, ALP altruism lottery project, and using the unique Solar-IS method, serving up the winner choices, right before your eyes. We share the key choices every day.
Alrighty then.
BUCKEL -UP..... Here we go..
Thank You Todd, for taking your time in posting this opening page. You need to prepare for another record-breaking jackpot. It could be an all nighter. We are getting closer to it.
See you all in the winner's circle!
2 BILLION Dallas here we come!
Well, I'm off to Atlanta, G.A. and I might stop in DC on the way! Chillin on the East Coast for just a little while!
Come on Powerball!!
Wonder how big it'll get this time...Lol I'll take the 1 million dollars prize myself but I wouldn't sneeze at that 415 either
Shelby, i want the $415M but will not sneeze at the $1M.
Nice......for sale?
Excuse me, Todd.
I went to rate this article 5 Stars however, my hand slipped and it clicked on 4 stars. Your articles are always 5 Stars! And no, I'm not sucking up. It just so happens that I find your articles to be consistently, well written!
No problem, thanks for the nice compliment!
I want it all! If I can't have it all, a million would be nice.
Meh, I wont hop in yet. I'm playing other tickets on other games.
Maybe when it gets to $600Mil or $750Mil.
It isn't just the money, it's the money and the odds. If the odds were better I would hop in sooner.
I played the five lines I posted on the prediction board and only matched 0+1 for $4, this game is too hard and expensive for the way I play to win big.
It will have to have a much larger jackpot for me to exceed my $10 budget.
Remember when I almost had you by the neck Powerball when the jackpot was just shy of a billion.. expect vengeance this time no holds barred
If the odds were better......someone might have won already and the jackpot wouldn't be as high as it is now.
I have my ONE ticket. I get to dream the dream and hope for the best.
You say it best in your signature line:
* you don't need to buy more tickets, just buy a winning ticket *
* your best chance for winning a lottery jackpot is to buy a ticket *
I'm Ready to Win!
Going out later today to buy my dream ticket. Thought it was going to be won last night, nice surprise to see it jump as high as it is. What will it be if it rolls Saturday night? Just a guess but thinking a little under $500M (net for me $202 million+ ) and I would not complain to win it. I can guarantee short of a heart attack, I will NOT let grass grow under my feet when it comes to claiming like the California winner! Good Luck all.
Nice looking house golfer1960. Surprised it doesn't have 8-foot interior doors as most nicer homes in the south are built with them.
Time for me to start playing a few extra picks as it's starting to get exciting. Have fun in Atlanta and good luck to you!
Aren't we all?
nice piece of house porn , Golfer
"That was a big jump...."
Just 4 short years ago MM jumped from from $363 million to $656 million. It will finish higher, but this increase is just another reminder of how slowly jackpots grow nowadays. The MM jump may still be the record for increase by percentage.
I recall that time, and wasnt that the Gloria MacKenzie win? I certainly would not complain about a MM win where it is right now lol. It is just fun to watch the frenzy begin whether PB or MM. National news just did a small snipet on PB, telling people we are getting back in the high dollars again, time to be looking at getting a ticket!
Personally, not ready to play Powerball yet, but if it rolls again to over $500 million (~$190 million after cash option and federal taxes; PA doesn't tax in-state lottery winnings), then I'm in.
Already seeing more people buying, but not much of a frenzy yet. Probably two more roll overs before it gets crazy; $750+ million will bring out players in droves.
Powerball is an extraordinary difficult game to win much on. Even the higher intermediate prizes are darn near impossible due to the matrix changes.
It's even worse for California players - sure, sometimes para-mutuel works out better, but all too often CA players are short-changed. On the bright side, CA PB payouts appear to be closer to the fixed payouts than Mega Millions - seen some real duzies on that, such as a MM Match-5 paying well under $100K verses $1 million elsewhere.
Consider this, in Pennsylvania:
April 30th drawing. No winner over $100 ($300 with Powerplay). Imagine buying every ticket sold in the entire state of PA and not getting a winner above $100 / $300 (with PP).
The last drawing May-4th wasn't much better for PA players - only one player out of the entire state won more than $100 ($300 with PP) by matching 4+PB (player powered up and tripled their win to $150K).
Fun to buy a few tickets for a chance at the dream, but buying zillions of tickets is of near zero help against 1 in ~292 million odds. Typical payout without Powerplay is around 9% the vast majority of the time, since the $100 prizes do next to nil to offset the wagers and higher prizes are near impossible to hit. Assuming 9% payback, if one buys $5,000 worth of tickets, figure on getting around $450 back. There are various simulators out on the net - it's an eye-opener how difficult Powerball really is to win much of anything with.
Am l ready for some Califorinian dreaming? - you betcha. I would be elated being part of a 3 way split if it comes to that, l am flexible.
Mr./Ms. Noise-gate,
Yes, my thoughts exactly.
California is the only place there is, on this planet.
Sure, it may catch spontaneous fires, but that's still better than anywhere on the East Coast.
Espcially places like Malibu, Santa Monica, or any place North of South Central LA, and closest to the ocean.
I would be honored and privileged should I be one of the 3-way "splitters".
There is a place, just a little distance inland, from the ocean, in Malibu, where houses start at $14mil.
(yes, that's fourteen million)
But no, I'm sticking to my wish of just $1million prize, and I'll be set.
$1million prize minus the taxes, I still might be able to get:
I would be happy with the $50,000 or the cool million too.-weshar75
If you are going to play on the way try Maryland instead of DC. We can win anonymously!
Someone had a guessing game on here. Wherever it is, put me down for $40 million for the next JP. Someone (me) is gonna win on Saturday night!
Mr Groppo, Mr Noisy Boy here. Glad you like the idea of a split, for those who have been playing for years, half or a third of a loaf is better than none at all. It's definitely not crumbs either. As for California being the " it" place, don't know about that, we still in a drought but the air is fresh & the girls are always pretty. Best of luck on your 3 way split dream.
How about 10 million Weshar- Aim high.
I bought my ticket on the way home. It takes one to win.
Spoiled here in Kentucky, will point and click to purchase my tickets, MM & PB. Still be content with the million dollar prize on my Season Tickets from the Massachusetts lottery. Time to win baby.
I'm in! I purchased one, $3 PB ticket this evening.
Good luck everyone.
Dare to Dream!
Let's Rock This Thing!
This would be such a nice mother's day present for my mother....the possibilities are endless
LOL
Good luck to the hopeful on the next PB drawing.
Just got my one ticket. I am in! And got my MM ticket too!
God Luck to all!
Ooops, Freudian slip? "God Luck" probably is better!