Now the 7th-biggest lottery jackpot in US history
Mega Millions also bumps up jackpot — to $450 million
By Todd Northrop
Due to larger than expected sales volume, the Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL) has raised the official Powerball lottery jackpot estimate for Saturday's drawing to $570 million.
The all-important lump-sum cash value of the jackpot has been raised to $358.5 million.
The newly-increased jackpot amount bumps the ranking of the Saturday drawing's jackpot to the 7th-largest ever recorded in United States lottery history. The cash value still ranks as the 8th-largest of all time. The top-25 annuity and cash value jackpots are listed below.
The Powerball drawing will be conducted Saturday night at 10:59 pm Eastern Time (7:59 pm Pacific). The mammoth grand prize started at $40 million on Oct. 28, 2017, and is the result of 20 drawings with no jackpot winner.
After the Wednesday evening Powerball drawing, when it was determined that there were no jackpot winners, the new jackpot estimate for Saturday was set at $550 million, with a cash value of $347.9 million. The lottery sets the initial estimates based on what they conservatively believe the ticket sales will be prior to the next drawing. When it becomes clear that actual ticket sales are vastly outstripping the initial projections, the lotteries raise the jackpot estimate accordingly — as they did today.
It is quite possible that by the time the drawing occurs tomorrow night, the jackpot will be further increased. The final jackpot tally is announced during the live drawing show.
Separately, the state lotteries this morning have also increased the amount of tonight's Mega Millions jackpot to $450 million, with a cash value of $281.2 million, making the combined total of the Powerball and Mega Millions drawings this week $1.02 billion.
Lottery players seeking to check the winning numbers Saturday night (or tonight for the Mega Millions drawing) are urged to use USA Mega (www.usamega.com). State lottery websites are normally brought to a standstill during busy periods, while USA Mega normally remains responsive.
Players looking for a nearby lottery retailer — or that out-of-the-way retailer with a smaller line — are encouraged to use Lottery Places, an app for iOS, Android, and Windows that can locate the nearest lottery retailers in every jurisdiction that sells Powerball and Mega Millions. The helpful app can locate lottery stores in the United States, the United Kingdom, Mexico, much of Canada, and the Caribbean.
Powerball drawing results will be posted immediately after the 10:59 pm drawing at USA Mega. The number of winners and new jackpot will be announced after all participating Powerball states have reported their data, which normally occurs within a couple of hours after the drawing.
Players are advised not to wait until the last minute to buy tickets, as the ticket cutoff time varies between states.
The odds of winning the jackpot are approximately 1 in 292 million. The odds of winning any of the Powerball prizes are approximately 1 in 25.
Powerball tickets cost $2 each.
Lottery players can see an after-tax analysis of the current Powerball jackpot by visiting USA Mega's Jackpot Analysis page.
Powerball features nine different prize levels, ranging from $4 all the way up to the jackpot. Players can win even if they just match one number — the Powerball number.
All states except California also offer the Power Play option for an extra $1 per ticket purchased. The Power Play multiplies any non-jackpot prizes won by the Power Play number drawn that evening.
Players who purchase the Power Play and win second prize will automatically have their prize increased by 2x to $2 million.
According to the Texas Lottery, if there's no winner for tomorrow night's drawing, the next estimated jackpot for Powerball will be $725 million.
Top 25 United States lottery jackpots of all time
Saturday's Powerball jackpot currently stands as the 7th-largest lottery jackpot of all time in the United States, and the 5th-largest Powerball jackpot ever. Brisk sales will almost certainly push the jackpot estimate higher by draw time.
- Powerball: $1.5864 billion, Jan. 13, 2016 - California, Florida, Tennessee
- Powerball: $758.7 million, Aug. 23, 2017 - Massachusetts
- 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: $570 million, Jan. 6, 2018 - Initial estimate, not won yet
- Powerball: $564.1 million, Feb. 11, 2015 - North Carolina, Puerto Rico, Texas
- Mega Millions: $536 million, Jul. 8, 2016 - Indiana
- Powerball: $487 million, Jul. 30, 2016 - New Hampshire
- Mega Millions: $450 million, Jan. 5, 2018 - Initial estimate, not won yet
- Powerball: $448.4 million, Aug. 7, 2013 - Minnesota, New Jersey (2)
- Powerball: $447.8 million, Jun. 10, 2017 - California
- Powerball: $435.3 million, Feb. 22, 2017 - Indiana
- Powerball: $429.6 million, May 7, 2016 - New Jersey
- Powerball: $425.3 million, Feb. 19, 2014 - California
- Powerball: $420.9 million, Nov. 26, 2016 - Tennessee
- Mega Millions: $414 million, Mar. 18, 2014 - Florida, Maryland
- Powerball: $399.4 million, Sep. 18, 2013 - South Carolina
- Mega Millions: $393 million, Aug. 11, 2017 - Illinois
- 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
The number of jackpots in the top 25, by lottery game, are:
- Powerball: 16
- Mega Millions: 8
- The Big Game: 1
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.
- Powerball: $983.5 million cash, Jan. 13, 2016 ($1.5864 billion annuity) - California, Florida, Tennessee
- Powerball: $480.5 million cash, Aug. 23, 2017 ($758.7 million annuity) - Massachusetts
- 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: $378 million cash, Jul. 8, 2016 ($536 million annuity) - Indiana
- Powerball: $370.9 million cash, May 18, 2013 ($590.5 million annuity) - Florida
- Powerball: $358.5 million cash, Jan. 6, 2018 ($570 million annuity) - Initial estimate, not won yet
- Mega Millions: $347.6 million cash, Dec. 17, 2013 ($636 million annuity) - California, Georgia
- Powerball: $336.8 million cash, Jul. 30, 2016 ($487 million annuity) - New Hampshire
- Powerball: $284 million cash, May 7, 2016 ($429.6 million annuity) - New Jersey
- Mega Millions: $281.2 million cash, Jan. 5, 2018 ($450 million annuity) - Initial estimate, not won yet
- Powerball: $279.1 million cash, Jun. 10, 2017 ($447.8 million annuity) - California
- Powerball: $263.5 million cash, Feb. 22, 2017 ($435.3 million annuity) - Indiana
- Powerball: $258.2 million cash, Aug. 7, 2013 ($448.4 million annuity) - Minnesota, New Jersey (2)
- Powerball: $254.7 million cash, Nov. 26, 2016 ($420.9 million annuity) - Tennessee
- Mega Millions: $246.5 million cash, Aug. 11, 2017 ($393 million annuity) - Illinois
- 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
The number of jackpot cash values in the top 25, by lottery game, are:
- Powerball: 16
- Mega Millions: 9
Here comes $600 for Powerball, plenty of time for this to happen. The media is having a field day with these two humongous Jackpots. Like adding fuel to the fire.
$1,020,000,000.00 A billion dollars!! Ready to be won this weekend. This news should be all over the nation. This is what the lottery organizers want to see and they are getting it.
Which small convenience store will be mobbed this time? Would you give the store clerk a tip? Don't forget about, "More Money More Problems". Your new problems will replace your old problems. Are you hoping to be a sole winner? Are you asking for a small piece of the pie?
#7 and #11 biggest jackpots! Holy Guacamole! I think MM drops tonight and Powerball rolls to $1 Billion for next Wednesday! I am going to buy tickets for both!
I think tomorrow's PB jackpot will increase to $625-650M !!! The BIG money is just beginning to show up!
Just think of the poor clerks in Primm Lotto Store just across the border from Las Vegas in California. This cold air freezing my brain, but looked it up yesterday and someone from Las Vegas won big on MM from that store some time ago.
with you Sacramento, CA When you say,"The Big money" are you referring to the rich? The ones who will send out their servants like maids, housekeepers, etc? The star athletes who will spend $10,000.00 on PB?
Big Money refers to all the people buying tickets in the frenzy to win big! I heard Donald J Trump is going to buy 1000 tickets! HA! Think people would be mad if he won?
Bleudog101, Yes, those clerks and the clerks back East. Don't forget the ones in the upper Midwest. North Dakota, Minnesotta, Upper Michigan, Maine.
I'm sure many of those aforementioned states have lottery machines to play by yourself. I rub big blue and say 'Hey baby' to her as the big mean looking truckers look @ me like I've lost my mind.
Half the population will be upset and the other half will rejoice with the President.
I figured the CA After Tax Take Home "ATTH" Cash Lump Sum = $225,855,000 PB and MM ATTH cash lump sum = $177,156,000 MM
Wow for Californians and especially the winner!
Good Luck to all LP Members!!
Bleudog101, Is "big blue" your car? What make and model? Have you lost your mind? LOL
If PB rolls, it goes up to $725 Million plus, on Wed. That's a $456 Million lump sum.
Thank You Redd55, That will be a $155 million jump for the Annuity and almost a $100 million increase for the Cash Lump Sum! That will be something to look forward too.
REDD, the new estimated Jackpot for next Wednesday is woefully low. Why are they so conservative on estimates? Monday it will be reset to $800M+, Tuesday $900M+, etc. I think there is a good chance we see $1 Billion next Wednesday.
Everybody have a warm, happy weekend! Go Rams!