By Todd Northrop
July continues to be an exciting month for lottery fans dreaming of mega jackpot dollars.
No sooner was Friday's $540 million Mega Millions jackpot won than Powerball became perfectly positioned to take the spotlight with a big rollover Saturday night.
After nobody won Powerball's $288 million jackpot Saturday, the new jackpot for Wednesday, July 13 was estimated at $311 million.
More exciting is the lump-sum cash value of $221.4 million, which is the 16th-largest in U.S. lottery history. The complete top-25 list of United States lottery jackpot cash values can be found at the end of this article.
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.
Wednesday's grand prize is the result of 18 consecutive draws without a winner. The run-up started as a $40 million prize on May 11.
The winning numbers for Saturday, July 9, 2016 were 10, 28, 32, 61, and 64, with Powerball number 12. The Power Play number was 3.
Although nobody won the jackpot Saturday night, 3 lucky players matched the first 5 numbers for a second-prize win: 1 from California, 1 from Massachusetts, and 1 from New Jersey.
The California second-prize winner will be awarded $246,261, while the tickets from Massachusetts and New Jersey will get $1 million each. 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 winning second-prize tickets were purchased with the Power Play option for an extra $1 per play. If they had, their prize would have been automatically doubled to $2,000,000.
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.
27 tickets matched four white numbers plus the Powerball and won $50,000. Of those tickets, 5 were purchased with the Power Play option, increasing the prize to $150,000.
Surprisingly there were no winners of the 4+1 prize in California, where the prize pool for the 4+1 winners was $63,043 this drawing. A single winner would have taken the complete prize pool, or the prize pool would have been split if there were multiple winners.
Following the Saturday drawing, the Powerball annuity jackpot estimate was raised $23 million from its previous amount of $288 million. The cash value was raised by $20 million from its previous amount of $201.4 million.
Sharp-eyed readers will notice that the Powerball annuity jackpot is suffering from the same difficulties that Mega Millions faced during its epic 35-drawing run that ended Friday. Sagging interest rates due to the poor economy are depressing the rate of return on invested lottery cash, causing the annuity jackpot to be raised much slower than it normally would.
While lottery fans look for big cash values to play, casual players who watch the advertised annuity value might not be as tempted to play. It's a difficult spiral for lottery marketing to break through, and tends to depress ticket sales a bit. If interest rates rebound, the cycle becomes easier to break.
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, 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 cash value jackpots
Wednesday's Powerball jackpot has the 16th-largest lump-sum cash value of any lottery jackpot in US lottery history. The list of the top 25 jackpot cash values can be found below, along with the state(s) in which each jackpot was won.
- 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
- Mega Millions: $380 million cash, Jul. 8, 2016 ($540 million annuity) - Indiana
- 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: $284 million cash, May 7, 2016 ($429.6 million annuity) - New Jersey
- 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
- Powerball: $221.4 million cash, Jul. 13, 2016 ($311 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: $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 number of jackpot cash values in the top 25, by lottery game, are:
- Powerball: 14
- Mega Millions: 11
Very, very shocking that nobody won. I thought for sure it would have been way too easy for someone out there.
Good luck to all players!
Hahahaha Todd fueling excitement among masses haha
I'm going to play pb just like I played mm, no frenzy, no excitement. Just play to be in the game.
I quit this game when the upped the matrix last Oct.
did play 1 line back when it went over 1B
...maybe buy another when that happens again !
I'm ready!
Yeah Todd!
I remember the days when MM was the best game. But now PB is the best. It recovers more quickly and has more participants by state or territory!
As noted in his article, Todd wrote: "Sharp-eyed readers will notice that the Powerball annuity jackpot is suffering from the same difficulties that Mega Millions faced during its epic 35-drawing run that ended Friday. Sagging interest rates due to the poor economy are depressing the rate of return on invested lottery cash, causing the annuity jackpot to be raised much slower than it normally would."
Yes Todd we have noticed that. The ratio of cash to annuity is now up to 71.18971%
I remember when that ratio used to be somewhere around 57%, but because of the interest rates being so low, it is now up over 71%
I bought a ticket for the last draw because the cash value had just topped $200 million. I will continue to purchase one pick until the cash value exceeds $300 million then I'll most likely buy 2 or 3 picks. Odds are simply too insane to waste anything more than that.
just not worth it
It's a good thing you're not a used car salesperson. 100% chance????
"Since Mega Millions was just won, there's a 100% chance Powerball will be won tonight."
Nothing in life is 100% except for 3 things.
Being born
, paying taxes 
and dying 
.
Here we go!
Come on guys!
The point is to WIN!
I prefer to win something with sagging interest rates than NOTHING with sagging interest rates.
Be IN IT to WIN IT!
I think that these sagging interest rates may push a young winner into choosing the lump sum instead of the annuity. Most twenty-year-old winners are not ready for the $211 million. I hope they get professionals on their side. The same goes for all the winners.
I will now share a Dave Ramsey quote,"Some people are lighthouses when they warn of rocks ahead". These past winners who blew through their winnings are warning all of us about the rocks ahead. I hope that any Lottery Post winner will not have a shipwreck.
May fortune smile upon us all.
As the saying goes....A winner never quits and a quitter never wins!
I buy at least ONE ticket for each drawing.
Since ...
Nice... Don't like it when both get hit over the same weekend.
Also PB restarts are easier on the eyes at 40m... Mega's are kinda rough at 15m
Understand that.
But..... second prize is a million bucks. App 1 in 11 million. Is that not worth $2? Or 2 million bucks for $3?
It is to me.
Amen. Either of those is retirement money!
Meatman and RCBuckeye
I should have mentioned that I'm spending the $ on CFL and L4L
for better odds and don't really want to chase the big games anymore.
The smaller JPs are enough for me.
To each his own and good luck W/ those.
OMG! You are right on!
I always think of Cynthia Stafford. The amount of lessons Cynthia has shared (although she doesn't know it) is astounding.
I'd be content to win KY Cashball $200K pre-tax; it would take care of everything I need. Sure, still playing with the big dogs is never an option not to play. You can't win if you don't play.
My Sister, who does not buy lottery tickets, emailed me because she saw something that people don't win the big jackpots. All Lottery Post members et al know this not the case. Otherwise the jackpots would be in the billions.
I find it very amusing how we all talk about millions of dollars as if it is just peanuts anymore. Let me put in perspective for everyone. If you have a job that pays you $50,000.00 per annum, you will have to work for 20 years to make a million dollars . Picture yourself working at a job you don't like for 20 years just to make a million. Come to think of it, a good percentage of posters on this site, don't even make close to that amount{$50,000.00} a year and some unfortunate ones, don't even have a job. Ladies and gentlemen, let's show some respect to a million dollars. IT STILL PACKS A PUNCH AND STILL GOES A LONG WAY.
You are absolutely correct.
But looks like most of America wants to "hang out with Oprah and the Queen" as sung by Bruno Mars.
I agree with mypiemaster also, greed is out of control in america. Most or all of us will never hit the jackpot the way the mm and pb is setup. I will gladly take a milion dollars and end up putting about $400,000 in the bank.
LMFAO @ emoji illustrations
.
Very kind. Thank you
.
BigBear29,
I believe it (the greed) really, truly is a sign of the times.
Especially so, are the things I see, when watching peoples' personal conflicts, from around the world, on Youtube.
I've seen so many, collected in a video compilation, where I could only shake my head.
Others actually get off on the junk.
PEOPLE, PLEASE, let's all get along. And, if it's not too much, if we could just do the "right", "decent" thing.
I feel sort of alienated, when I see example after example of people acting worse than animals, to their neighbors.
But, I too will MOST GLADLY settle for one million samolians (that's the mis-spelled slang for dollars).
Mr. Groppo
Groppo and jacintasc, You both are very welcome. Thanks to you for your dedication to Lottery Post.
As they say, "You should only have to win the lottery once".
Excellent post.
I play no matter what the jackpot is. I spend $10/week on the lottery and if I win small amounts, I roll it back in with more tickets. You never know.
I'm with you I spend $20.00 one I pick number and Machine picks, I thinking roll again on Wednesday $550 on Saturday, let's go
550?
$311M for PB? Naw.
This is the time to hit MM at its $15M start point, hopefully before the $540M Indiana winner cones forward.
I hear ya
The power of positive thinking.
There's no way Powerball is gonna be able to roll to 550 by Saturday in the post Billion dollar jackpot world. If it rolls on Wednesday, it'll increase to maybe 365M at the most for Saturday.
Pay attention to the cash value. People that do not know any better are not going to play cause they don't know it's over 29 years. or whatever it is now...
I always want to take the cash. It's better that way cause you are protected from skyrocketing taxes, either state or federal.
Take the tax punch and run with the cash.
Most take the cash anyways. Honestly I think they should get rid of the annuity... offer it at collection.
Good Luck to All!!!
What if a young person won? Maybe in her early twenties. She may want to take the 30-year plan.
We have to wait until the interest rates rise.
A win by a Californian would net him/her about $133.7 million from a PB win. I could live off a million for the rest of my life. I do have plans for the rest of it.
See you all in the winner's circle!
Powerball $311 Million
Good Luck everyone
I think that's a great idea.
Actually, cash value is default if you buy a ticket in Texas on the vending machines. If you want the annuity, you have to go to the counter and specifically ask for it, unless you are filling out a slip with numbers. Then you have to mark either cash value or annuity.
I always play cash value. Even when I talk about the amount for the drawing. Powerball is $221.4 million. Mega Million is $10.5 million.
Have not bought tickets yet. $2 and a dream.
Buy. buy buy!
I'm grateful that the NY lottery doesn't require me to choose at time of purchase. I see the advantages and disadvantages of both and I'm gonna need a lot of time to decide.
Mega fewer rollover to powerball fewer. tickets cost twice as much let it soar, let it roar too
.
Mr./Ms. EasyGoing123Go,
Did you mean to say "Mega fever" and "Powerball fever", as opposed to "fewer"?
No biggy.
Thank you,
Mr. Groppo
Use that time to create a team of professional advisers. Such as a Trust & Estate Attorney, a CFP is a Certified Financial Planner, and an accountant, enrolled agent or CPA a Certified Public Accountant. They should listen to you and help you decide which way to go.
It's going to be won .. Son.
I still think that taking the cash will yield a better return... Of course with trusted financial planning and tax preparation. You would still be protected from increasing tax rates if invested wisely in the right items, tax free municipal bonds, stocks, insurance... Etc. Etc.
This has nothing to do with Powerball, but I'm dying for a chocolate bar like a Snickers
Actually you could create a bridge between the two jac: You could win this JP & buy into the chocolate company. It's all part of connective issue.
Sure beats talking about politics.
jacintasc & noise-gate, There are some winners who worked in the IT department of New York in Albany. Albany is the capital of NY. Anyway, the designated person to buy the tickets was in line and noticed a dark chocolate snickers for sale. So he leaned toward the candy bar and at that split second a man took his place in line. The designated buyer thought to himself, "Now that is rude. Should I say anything?" The buyer purchased his quick picks and left. I am sure you can guess who won! The IT department won and the buyer remembered what had occurred and said, "what if that man had stayed in his place in line would he have won?"
Spooky!
adamc224, What about mutual funds? Do you have an opinion about those?
Like reading about events like that that turn out for the best. Miss Gloria down in Florida did the same thing in reverse and the rest is history. A year or two ago, a woman played the numbers from a fortune cookie and walked away with close to a million- pre tax.You just never know when you going to hit it.
And that, my friends, is why my signature states...
Winning happens in a flash, Like A Bolt Of Lightning!
Last week similar thoughts crossed my mind.
I went to a convenience store after lunch to buy a MM ticket. I was 3rd in line at the checkout; their systems were running slow and they had a new cashier - cumulative effect the line was moving slow.
After the 2nd guy walked up, i walked to another cashier and asked for one MM ticket. The guy in front of me who went to a different cashier wanter more than 5 tix.
It turned out that the other cashier (not mine) was running the lottery machine and cashier i went to was collecting cash.
For whatever reason the lady running the lottery machine called me over and gave me my 1 ticket before she processed the 5+ for the guy in front of me.
I apologised to the guy in front for cutting in front of him without cutting the line. He understood it was not my fault.
On the way back to work, i remembered Gloria's story and made me wonder: Is the turn of events the lucky cue for me??? And made me dream.
But alas, it was not won in my state. :)
Excellent post "mypiemaster".
To exaggerate a little bit along similar lines, if one can live comfortably with 200K per annum post taxes spending money, that is almost equivalent to having a cushy job that pays about 300K salary per annum.
My plans for the current PB jackpot:
Claim cash option - would net about 121mm after all taxes.
Spend 3mm in the first year for some big ticket purchases.
5mm in a savings account. Draw 200K per annum from this account for spending/living expenses. Expect this 5mm to last about 20 years at this rate of draw.
5mm in municipal bonds
40mm in conservative investments
30mm in aggressive investments
20mm to build real estate portfolio - this not only generates some income but also builds wealth
18mm in a rainy day fund
All the charitable works will come from the 200K annual spending money and the incomes from the investments.
Great post and don't forget an LLC!
Cashball needs to be mine tonight. I could do so much that approximate
$140K.
I don't get why so many people get fooled because the winner/winners only get a fraction of the lottery. When my dad was alive and I mentioned to him about a previous winner with annuity he said this. "How do you know about that person?" He was right.
We all know three things the winner needs. Financial planner, accountant, lawyer. Then figure out game plan.
I will be watching certain members and numbers.
My mom used a CFP for her life insurance .......... and now she has NO life insurance .......... they are crooks!