Jaw-dropping prize money on the line for Monday drawing
Cash option nearly $1 billion
By Todd Northrop
Last night Powerball didn't just set a new lottery jackpot record, it crushed the old record, putting the concept of a $2 billion lottery jackpot within reach.
When the 40th drawing of the current Powerball jackpot run was conducted last night, it produced a combination of numbers that most lottery players typically wouldn't choose on their own: All the numbers except one were greater than the "birthday number" range (31), and the Powerball was a lower number than all of the first five.
It was the kind of numbers that USA Mega owner Todd Northrop recommended to Newsweek Friday.
And true to form, nobody had selected those numbers — not even a lottery terminal's quick picks generated those numbers among the hundreds of millions of tickets printed.
In the early morning hours Sunday, the lotteries finally determined that nobody has matched all the numbers drawn, and that a new world record would be established.
The new annuity jackpot record of $1.9 billion is accompanied by a cash value of $929.1 million — nearly a billion dollars in cash! That's enough to make it the second-highest cash value in history.
To get to this size, the jackpot has been growing since it started on Aug. 6 as a $20 million prize — now 40 consecutive drawings without a winner.
Lottery players dreaming what all the cash will look like in their bank account after federal and state taxes are taken out can see an after-tax analysis of the current Powerball jackpot by visiting USA Mega's Powerball Jackpot Analysis page. Rather than simply showing the initial withholdings a lottery winner would face like other "copy cat" websites, the Jackpot Analysis page also includes the additional taxes that will be due after the initial withholdings, and will even allow players to see the taxes due under different filing statuses.
The rush of ticket sales over the next few days may propel the jackpot to an even higher amount before the drawing takes place Monday. Lottery Post and USA Mega will update the jackpot tallies displayed if such an increase occurs.
The quickest way to find the winning numbers after the drawing Monday will be by visiting USA Mega (www.usamega.com) at 10:59 pm Eastern Time (7:59 pm Pacific), when the winning numbers will be published live as they are drawn.
Players looking for the nearest official lottery retailer — or maybe just a different store without such a long line — are urged to use the free Lottery Places app available for iOS, Android, and Windows. The app can find lottery stores in every Powerball state and can search across state lines — something even official state lotteries can't do.
Some states offer direct online sales, allowing players to bypass the store and purchase tickets from home. 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.
In Saturday night's Powerball drawing, there was no jackpot winner, but 17 lucky players matched the first 5 numbers for a $1,000,000 prize: 3 from California, 2 from Colorado, 1 from Florida, 1 from Georgia, 2 from Kentucky, 1 from Massachusetts, 1 from Michigan, 1 from Missouri, 1 from New Jersey, 1 from New York, 2 from Pennsylvania, and 1 from South Dakota.
The California second-prize winners will be awarded $1,120,390 each instead of the fixed $1 million prize awarded in the other states. By law, California awards all lottery prizes on a pari-mutuel basis, meaning the prizes will change each drawing based on the number of tickets sold within California and the number of tickets that won at each prize level in the state.
Out of all the second-prize tickets, only the one sold in Kentucky was purchased with the Power Play option, doubling their prize to $2 million.
When a Powerball ticket is purchased with the Power Play option for an extra $1 per ticket, a second-prize win is doubled and any other non-jackpot prize is multplied by the Power Play number 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 and the Powerball Double Play Prize Payouts pages at Lottery Post.
The Power Play option is not available in California, because the fixed nature of the prize increase offered with the Power Play is not compatible with California's pari-mutuel payouts.
Also, a total of 270 tickets matched four of the first five numbers plus the Powerball to win a $50,000 prize. Of those tickets, 51 were purchased with the Power Play option, increasing the prize to $150,000, and 43 were sold in California, where the prize awarded this drawing is $20,010.
The Powerball winning numbers for Saturday, November 5, 2022, were 28, 45, 53, 56, and 69, with Powerball number 20. The Power Play number was 3.
The Saturday Double Play drawing results were 4, 23, 27, 31, and 56, with Powerball number 15. Double Play is a game option currently available in 14 states that lets you play your numbers in a second drawing for an extra $1 per play, with a chance to win up to $10 million in cash. See How to Play Powerball at USA Mega for more information about Double Play.
Following the Saturday drawing, the Powerball annuity jackpot estimate was raised $243.2 million from its previous amount of $1.6568 billion. The cash value was raised by $146.7 million from its previous amount of $782.4 million.
Powerball is currently offered for sale in 45 states, plus Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Drawings are Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays at 10:59 pm Eastern Time. Tickets cost $2 each.
Top 25 United States lottery jackpots of all time
Monday's Powerball jackpot currently stands as the largest lottery jackpot in world history.
- Powerball: $1.9 billion, Nov. 7, 2022 (40 rollovers, starting at $20 million) - Preliminary estimate, not won yet
- 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: $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.
Looking at the cash value, the upcoming Powerball jackpot ranks as the 2nd-largest cash value in world history.
- Powerball: $983.5 million cash, Jan. 13, 2016 ($1.5864 billion annuity) - California, Florida, Tennessee
- Powerball: $929.1 million cash, Nov. 7, 2022 ($1.9 billion annuity) - Preliminary estimate, not won yet
- 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
The number of cash value jackpots in the top 25, by lottery game, are:
- Mega Millions: 13
- Powerball: 12
This is simply UNREAL!!!
"UNIMAGINABLE" WEALTH!
$2.0B and cash value of $1.0B when it's fully loaded!
I saw #Powerball trending on Twitter. Now, I know why. THIS IS INSANE!!! I'm buying 3 tickets for the game. Good luck to all playing on monday!!
nearly speechless....
it is so tempting now !
Everyone will rush to buy tickets, I will buy only two !
I avoid social media platforms. they're no good.
$3 billion before a ticket is hit.
$1.9 BILLION ANNUITY/$929 MILLION CASH/ $585,270,000 cash take home
Does present quite a nice opportunity to end 2022 on. Let the pondering begin.
Best of luck to all LP participants.
Incredibly mindblowing!
I've just about lost all feeling of both mind and body at this point
I am in it to win it!
Already purchased some of my tickets. And plan on getting some more.
Am not sure if I want to play more past my multi-draws I already have, been in losing streak with only hitting the red ball lately
am too tired to analyze more numbers
dream big
Currently it's just #2 on the cash value rankings . If it rolls one more time , it will completely shred , destroy and scatter both rankings. Then I shall swoop in and save the day.
I will have them play the National Anthem before I collect my jackpot 
Probably, if a high number streak happens
Lol
do you call your job n say u quit or show up as a courtesy?
Show up as a courtesy and just sit around eating leftover mini candy bars from Halloween, throwing the wrappers all over the floor until they fire you! Then drop the "P-Bomb" on them! Hahaha
Never burn bridges . Let them know in a professional way that circumstances beyond your control .......
Why with All the people that come out of the woodwork to play this powerball does it only jump up 200 million for the next drawing?
That sounds extremely low!!!
They raised it $243M, but grossly underestimated the Jackpot. They will rectify that tomorrow when it's set @ $2.0B or $2.1B. This is uncharted territory for the lottery folks!
Lol lol
Ah good one
Unlikely.
That would need to be few more draws at least. And people will run out of money by that time to keep playing at that pace.
It will be won on Monday. Most likely with splits.
Oh I'm sure they raised a bit more than that! With the amount of people playing it should be at 2.2 already!
Since we are on the subject of Lottery...... why haven't the powers that be bring back the 40 million at the start of the game? People obviously have showed an interest in the games?
I just want a second place win.
You all can have the rest.
"Currently it's just #2 on the cash value rankings . "
If you take $10 bucks from this weeks paycheck you can also earn more interest but I doubt anybody's dumb enough to think that means they got a raise. As of now the official forecast for MM is that when the drawing rolls around on Monday night they'll have sold just under 95% as many tickets as they did for the record jackpot in January 2016, coming up shy of an actual record. Maybe they could offer the cash in Pesos and claim it's 19 times higher than the record.
"do you call your job n say u quit or show up as a courtesy? "
If you're smart you stick around for at least a month, unless you bought the winning ticket far away from both home and work.
"people will run out of money by that time to keep playing at that pace. "
I've always figured that at some point sales will start to drop from the peak, but I don't know when that would be. As the jackpot gets bigger people who rarely play will start, but few of the people who are spending $50 for one drawing are going to keep doing that. Not that many are likely to realize, but at some point you're probably playing for 1/2 or 1/3 of the actual jackpot because multiple winners becomes the most likely outcome, but so far that's only happened a few times.
"It will be won on Monday. Most likely with splits. "
The most likely outcome for Monday will be a single winner, with perhaps a 40 to 45% chance of a rollover depending on how much higher than the forecast actual sales are.
Did you mean PB instead of MM in your first paragraph?
we learn that with computers its impossible to win if they don't let you win.you can play all possible numbers for 52 dollars and still only win 4 dollars.