13th-largest US lottery jackpot in history
By Todd Northrop
After a 34th-consecutive drawing without a winner, the Powerball multi-state lottery game now features a jackpot that will provide multi-generational wealth to the lucky player who eventually wins it all.
After nobody won Saturday's $591.3 million grand prize, the Powerball jackpot increased to a staggering $610 million for Monday's drawing — the 13th-largest US lottery jackpot of all time.
But since most winners choose the lump-sum cash option, the $292.6 million cash value of Saturday's Powerball jackpot is what many people pay close attention to. It's the 26th-largest cash value of any jackpot in US lottery history.
For players wondering why the cash value is not keeping pace with the annuity, the answer is that they are looking at it backwards. The cash value drives the annuity (not the reverse), and the poor economy that has been steadily worsening over the past two years has caused interest rates to fluctuate wildly, sending the annuity higher with less cash on-hand.
Lottery Post published an informative video that steps through exactly how the jackpot annuity and cash value is calculated — and is strongly recommended viewing for any lottery player.
The complete top-25 list of United States lottery jackpot annuity and cash values can be found below.
Players looking to understand 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.
Monday's mega boatload of cash is the result of 34 consecutive draws without a winner. The run-up started as a $20 million prize on Aug. 6 — it has been nearly 3 months since Powerball last had a winner.
Players looking for a nearby lottery retailer — or that out-of-the-way retailer with a smaller line — are encouraged to use Lottery Places, the only 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.
Some states offer direct online sales too, allowing players to bypass the store completely. States that offer this ability include Colorado (Mega Millions and Powerball), Michigan (Mega Millions and Powerball), Minnesota (Mega Millions and Powerball), Oregon (Mega Millions and Powerball), Texas (Mega Millions and Powerball), and Virginia (Mega Millions and Powerball). Note that some of these links will only work properly for residents of the states mentioned.
Players outside the USA can use a reputable butler service, which provides scanned copies of the purchased lottery tickets securely held on behalf of the customer. In the past, the lottery ticket service was used by people out side the USA to win big jackpots in Oregon and Florida.
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 Saturday's drawing was $580 million, but by the time all the proceeds were counted just before draw-time, the jackpot had swelled to $591.3 million.
The winning numbers for Saturday, October 22, 2022 were 19, 25, 48, 55, and 60, with Powerball number 18. The Power Play number was 2.
Although nobody won the jackpot Saturday night, 3 lucky players matched the first 5 numbers for a $1,000,000 prize: 1 from New York, 1 from South Carolina, and 1 from Texas.
None of the second-prize tickets were purchased with the Power Play option, which would have doubled the prize to $2 million. Power Play is available in all jurisdictions except California, where the fixed nature of the prize increase offered in Power Play is not compatible with California's pari-mutuel payout regulations.
42 tickets matched four white numbers plus the Powerball and won $50,000. Of those tickets, 6 were purchased with the Power Play option, increasing the prize to $100,000, and 2 were purchased in California where the prize was $49,375 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.
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. The USA Mega page also includes the official drawing videos.
Following the Saturday drawing, the Powerball annuity jackpot estimate was raised $18.7 million from its previous amount of $591.3 million. The cash value was raised by $9 million from its previous amount of $283.6 million.
The next Powerball drawing will take place Monday night at 10:59 pm Eastern Time.
Powerball is played in 45 states, plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Drawings are Mondays, 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
Monday's Powerball jackpot currently stands as the 13th-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 (19 rollovers, starting at $40 million) - California, Florida, Tennessee
- Mega Millions: $1.537 billion, Oct. 23, 2018 (25 rollovers, starting at $40 million) - South Carolina
- Mega Millions: $1.337 billion, Jul. 29, 2022 (29 rollovers, starting at $20 million) - Illinois
- Mega Millions: $1.05 billion, Jan. 22, 2021 (36 rollovers, starting at $20 million) - Michigan
- Powerball: $768.4 million, Mar. 27, 2019 (25 rollovers, starting at $40 million) - Wisconsin
- Powerball: $758.7 million, Aug. 23, 2017 (20 rollovers, starting at $40 million) - Massachusetts
- Powerball: $731.1 million, Jan. 20, 2021 (35 rollovers, starting at $20 million) - Maryland
- Powerball: $699.8 million, Oct. 4, 2021 (40 rollovers, starting at $20 million) - California
- Powerball: $687.8 million, Oct. 27, 2018 (21 rollovers, starting at $40 million) - Iowa, New York
- Mega Millions: $656 million, Mar. 30, 2012 (18 rollovers, starting at $12 million) - Illinois, Kansas, Maryland
- Mega Millions: $648 million, Dec. 17, 2013 (21 rollovers, starting at $12 million) - California, Georgia
- Powerball: $632.6 million, Jan 5, 2022 (39 rollovers, starting at $20 million) - California, Wisconsin
- Powerball: $610 million, Oct 24, 2022 (34 rollovers, starting at $20 million) - Preliminary estimate, not won yet
- Powerball: $590.5 million, May 18, 2013 (13 rollovers, starting at $40 million) - Florida
- Powerball: $587.5 million, Nov. 28, 2012 (15 rollovers, starting at $40 million) - Arizona, Missouri
- Powerball: $564.1 million, Feb. 11, 2015 (20 rollovers, starting at $40 million) - North Carolina, Puerto Rico, Texas
- Powerball: $559.7 million, Jan. 6, 2018 (20 rollovers, starting at $40 million) - New Hampshire
- Mega Millions: $543 million, Jul. 24, 2018 (22 rollovers, starting at $40 million) - California
- Mega Millions: $536 million, Jul. 8, 2016 (34 rollovers, starting at $15 million) - Indiana
- Mega Millions: $533 million, Mar. 30, 2018 (23 rollovers, starting at $40 million) - New Jersey
- Mega Millions: $522 million, Jun. 7, 2019 (24 rollovers, starting at $40 million) - California
- Mega Millions: $516 million, May 21, 2021 (26 rollovers, starting at $20 million) - Pennsylvania
- Mega Millions: $502 million, Oct. 14, 2022 (21 rollovers, starting at $20 million) - California, Florida
- Powerball: $487 million, Jul. 30, 2016 (23 rollovers, starting at $40 million) - New Hampshire
- Powerball: $473.1 million, Apr. 27, 2022 (30 rollovers, starting at $20 million) - Arizona
For those keeping score, the number of jackpots in the top 25, by lottery game, are:
- Powerball: 14
- Mega Millions: 11
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 26th-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: $877.8 million cash, Oct. 23, 2018 ($1.537 billion annuity) - South Carolina
- Mega Millions: $780.5 million cash, Jul. 29, 2022 ($1.337 billion annuity) - Illinois
- Mega Millions: $776.6 million cash, Jan. 22, 2021 ($1.05 billion annuity) - Michigan
- Powerball: $546.8 million cash, Jan. 20, 2021 ($731.1 million annuity) - Maryland
- Powerball: $496 million cash, Oct. 4, 2021 ($699.8 million annuity) - California
- Powerball: $480.5 million cash, Aug. 23, 2017 ($758.7 million annuity) - Massachusetts
- Powerball: $477 million cash, Mar. 27, 2019 ($768.4 million annuity) - Wisconsin
- Mega Millions: $471 million cash, Mar. 30, 2012 ($656 million annuity) - Illinois, Kansas, Maryland
- Powerball: $450.2 million cash, Jan. 5, 2022 ($632.6 million annuity) - California, Wisconsin
- Powerball: $396.2 million cash, Oct. 27, 2018 ($687.8 million annuity) - Iowa, New York
- 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: $352 million cash, Jan. 6, 2018 ($559.7 million annuity) - New Hampshire
- Mega Millions: $349.3 million cash, May 21, 2021 ($516 million annuity) - Pennsylvania
- Mega Millions: $347.6 million cash, Dec. 17, 2013 ($648 million annuity) - California, Georgia
- Powerball: $341.7 million cash, Jul. 30, 2016 ($487 million annuity) - New Hampshire
- Mega Millions: $340 million cash, Jun. 7, 2019 ($522 million annuity) - California
- Mega Millions: $324 million cash, Mar. 30, 2018 ($533 million annuity) - New Jersey
- Mega Millions: $320.5 million cash, Jul. 24, 2018 ($543 million annuity) - California
- Mega Millions: $319.9 million cash, Jun. 9, 2020 ($414 million annuity) - Arizona
- Mega Millions: $314.4 million cash, Sep. 21, 2021 ($431 million annuity) - New York
- Mega Millions: $292.9 million cash, Jan. 28, 2022 ($426 million annuity) - California
- Powerball: $292.6 million cash, Oct 24, 2022 ($610 million annuity) - Preliminary estimate, not won yet
The number of jackpot cash values in the top 25, by lottery game, are:
- Powerball: 12
- Mega Millions: 13
Strange that it went from $508 to $580 million and now just a 'modest' increase of $30 million to $610.
Can remember you guys running a story on how the increases are determined. Maybe this will jump a tad higher.
We each 'rescued' an unwanted an IN PB ticket yesterday hoping they'd be the ones. The rest as they say is history.
$600 million is when i jump on board. I actually thought someone would crack the jackpot last night.
The story contains a link to a video that explains how jackpots are calculated.
i wasn't sure myself, but sure as the sun rises
we have arrived at that most curious figure
my beef is they never say the big jackpots won,if a quick pick,like in vt. middlebury,but,was it a vationer or a citazen of vt..the big one in florida we don't know anything.i hope this big powerball goes to more then one person,it must be a quick pick.i got 10 quick picks,no multiplier but didn't win.only one number on all those tickets and not the powerball.only a computer quick pick can do that.
I don't want to be misunderstood, I know it's not a virtue to be selfish and I've tried to do the things that I should, but I want the entire Jackpot!
no shame 4 wanting it all 4 one's self
I'll take the 5+0 in CA for over 2 million. Fine with me.
I aim for 5+0 but would be glad to share the jp with 20 other winners. Greed is not good.
It went from $508m to $550m then to $580m which turned out to be $591m at drawing time.
* All the best to all lotterypost players : Let's take this Powerball jackpot for the team.
I don't mind sharing either, as long as it's not like what happened in the Philippines. I'd like to have enough so I don't have to worry about money, and it will take more than $9,000 to do that.
ppl may think the cash value is low but it's trading $2 for millions and winning is an even bigger accomplishment
It's a 170 million jackpot,not 610.
Yea but to know you won is a big deal. I do my own analysis n work sheet plus a few quick picks
we'll see
I someone wins the $610M jackpot tonight. The question becomes is it best to NOW take the annuity over the lump sum since the lump sum is now so low?
That IS a good question. Worth going through in detail with the financial advisors.
NO REASON to play Powerball !! If you get 4 out of the 5 numbers or 3 with the powerball Powerball only gives you a MEASLY $100 .. WTF?! MEga Millions gives you $500.. & rolling cash 5 gives you $300... Powerball payouts for the smaller amounts should EQUAL Mega Million,s RIP OFF !!
Yeah, but Powerball gives you $50,000 for a 4+1 match, whereas Mega Millions only gives you $10,000 for the same match.
They each have their pluses and minuses. It's not a ripoff to buy a ticket for $2 that has a chance of winning $610 million.
If I were twenty or so years younger then I'd take the annuity and used to ask for that when @ the time we had to tell them what we wanted.
Now straight one time payout!!
Can lottery winnings be inherited?
It was bumped up to $625
hard to win against computers.i got 50 numbers and only one hit in the drawing,10 powerballs but none hit.i have got quick picks of all numbers before and only won the 4 bucks for powerball.
You beat me to the punch as the old Mary Wells song goes!
Good luck LP members!
So true, whatever the prize from either Mega Millions or Powerball, it is STILL worth a chance for $2 a ticket.
That is great to know. It might just be better to take the annuity instead of the lump sum. This is something everyone of us should be thinking about who has purchased tickets for tonight's drawing.
i'm never excited. ha ha, you're so right, like my dad call it a rip off, when "1 or 2 people win over 100 million" when that large, Multiple in many states should be winning at least " 4 numbers and PB" or 5 numbers a million each at least, but they don't.
So, i don't really play it, nnnnope. RARE.
better odds that is not a rip off PICK 4.
yyyep. love the story again recently here, as on net, man put down 30, another put down 100 or 200= Tens and thousands off a few bucks, #JACKPOT worth it
the other nearby VA put 100 or $200 down won HUGE !!! PICK 4 playing ONE combination.Multiple times."
Much better, odds so, i'll stick with my lucky P4 combination(s)tonight and beyond.
Good luck to everyone whose playing tonight!
"now just a 'modest' increase of $30 million to $610. "
That $72 million change from 508 to 580 was actually an increase to 550 followed by a change in interest rates that added an imaginary $30 million while increasing the cash value by all of 800k. Also, despite the jackpots always being higher if there's a rollover sales for a Monday jackpot are almost always substantially less than sales for the previous Saturday. That said, a rollover tonight will increase it from 625 to 680, which is pretty pathetic compared the recent MM progression from 555 > 660 > 830. I'm sure that 680 will get bumped up, but this PB run is lagging far behind the MM run.
"is it best to NOW take the annuity over the lump sum since the lump sum is now so low? "
The same interest rates that result in a bigger advertised jackpot will also benefit a winner who takes the cash and invests it. The annuity locks in the higher interest rate, but you can still do that yourself after taking the cash. If rates keep rising you can do even better by waiting a while before locking in the best available rate. Either way, you'll have more than a reasonable person can spend on themselves.
It's all entertainment, u could win MM or PB or Pick 4
play what you can afford and enjoy the game
I play all games but on a budget
doesn't matter the pot, want to retire with extra $$
I'll take $500k
How often do you Buy 125,000 Pick 4 Tickets?
(125,000 x $5000 = $625,000,000)
PS: $2.00 Bet vs $125,000.00 Bet
The Powerball jackpot is now $625 million.
Dumb comment.
Why post then? Should keep to yourself.
Todd...time to update my favorite list you guys provide...the lottery standing list since she went up to $680 million.
Increase of $55 million (so far), so being a double nickel baby it's mine all mine!
It was bumped up to $700 million