11th-largest US lottery jackpot in history
By Todd Northrop
After a 37th-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 Wednesday's $873.1 million grand prize, the Powerball jackpot increased to a staggering $935 million for Saturday's drawing — the 11th-largest US lottery jackpot of all time, and the 5th-largest Powerball jackpot in the game's history.
But since most winners choose the lump-sum cash option, the $449.7 million cash value of Saturday's Powerball jackpot is what many people pay close attention to. It's the 17th-largest cash value of any jackpot in US lottery history, and the 10th-largest in the game's history.
The complete top 25 list of United States lottery jackpot annuity and cash values can be found below. Notably, the top jackpot rankings have now reached a point where a lottery jackpot must exceed $1 billion just to enter to the top 10.
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.
Saturday's mega boatload of cash is the result of 37 consecutive draws without a winner. The run-up started as a $20 million prize on January 3.
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, allowing players to bypass the store and purchase tickets from home. Players can see if they can play Powerball online by tapping the link. Depending on the physical location of the person, the link will either provide access via a licensed butler service or the official state lottery itself.
Butler services provide scanned copies of the purchased lottery tickets securely held on behalf of the customer. In the past, such lottery ticket services were 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 Wednesday's drawing was $865 million, but by the time all the proceeds were counted just before draw-time, the jackpot had swelled to $873.1 million.
The winning numbers for Wednesday, March 27, 2024 were 37, 46, 57, 60, and 66, with Powerball number 8. The Power Play number was 2.
The Wednesday Double Play drawing results were 31, 47, 52, 53, and 57, with Powerball number 23. Double Play is a game option currently available in 22 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 and a list of states that offer the add-on game.
Although nobody won the jackpot Wednesday night, 3 lucky players matched the first 5 numbers for a $1,000,000 prize: 1 from Arizona, 1 from Pennsylvania, 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, 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 within the state of California.
Also in the drawing, 51 tickets matched four white numbers plus the Powerball and won $50,000. Of those tickets, 7 were purchased with the Power Play option, increasing the prize to $100,000, and 7 were purchased in California where the prize was $18,724 this drawing
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 USA Mega page also includes the official drawing videos.
Following the Wednesday drawing, the Powerball annuity jackpot estimate was raised $61.9 million from its previous amount of $873.1 million. The cash value was raised by $29.8 million from its previous amount of $419.9 million.
The next Powerball drawing will take place Saturday 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
Saturday's Powerball jackpot currently stands as the 11th-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: $2.0401 billion, Nov. 7, 2022 (40 rollovers, starting at $20 million) - California
- Powerball: $1.7649 billion, Oct. 11, 2023 (35 rollovers, starting at $20 million) - California
- Mega Millions: $1.602 billion, Aug. 8, 2023 (31 rollovers, starting at $20 million) - Florida
- 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: $1.348 billion, Jan. 13, 2023 (25 rollovers, starting at $20 million) - Maine
- Mega Millions: $1.337 billion, Jul. 29, 2022 (29 rollovers, starting at $20 million) - Illinois
- Mega Millions: $1.13 billion, Mar. 26, 2024 (30 rollovers, starting at $20 million) - New Jersey
- Powerball: $1.0798 billion, Jul. 19, 2023 (38 rollovers, starting at $20 million) - California
- Mega Millions: $1.05 billion, Jan. 22, 2021 (36 rollovers, starting at $20 million) - Michigan
- Powerball: $935 million, Mar. 30, 2024 (37 rollovers, starting at $20 million) - Preliminary estimate, not won yet
- Powerball: $842.4 million, Jan. 1, 2024 (34 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: $754.6 million, Feb. 6, 2023 (33 rollovers, starting at $20 million) - Washington
- 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
For those keeping score, the number of jackpots in the top 25, by lottery game, are:
- Powerball: 17
- Mega Millions: 8
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 17th-largest lump-sum cash value jackpot in history.
- Powerball: $997.6 million cash, Nov. 7, 2022 ($2.0401 billion annuity) - California
- 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: $794.2 million cash, Aug. 8, 2023 ($1.602 billion annuity) - Florida
- 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: $774.1 million cash, Oct. 11, 2023 ($1.7649 billion annuity) - California
- Mega Millions: $723.5 million cash, Jan. 13, 2023 ($1.348 billion annuity) - Maine
- Powerball: $558.1 million cash, Jul. 19, 2023 ($1.0798 billion annuity) - California
- Powerball: $546.8 million cash, Jan. 20, 2021 ($731.1 million annuity) - Maryland
- Mega Millions: $525.8 million cash, Mar. 26, 2024 ($1.13 billion annuity) - New Jersey
- 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: $449.7 million cash, Mar. 30, 2024 ($935 million annuity) - Preliminary estimate, not won yet
- Powerball: $425.2 million cash, Jan. 1, 2024 ($842.4 million annuity) - Michigan
- Powerball: $407.2 million cash, Feb. 6, 2023 ($754.6 million annuity) - Washington
- 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
The number of jackpot cash values in the top 25, by lottery game, are:
- Powerball: 17
- Mega Millions: 8
Will it hit a billion by Saturday?
I was hoping it would be won in Louisiana.
Well, GA is on the map, patiently waiting
can I get 5 nbrs
It seems Mega can't never get close to the Powerball record. I'm actually waiting to see if we will ever beat the 2 Billion record. I feel this pot going to climb into the top 3 but I don't think it will beat Edwin Castro jackpot. It will reach a billion by Saturday for sure. I'll just get my one ticket with the Powerplay on my own. Not going to go crazy like everyone around the country. Odds stack tremendous against us but it only takes one ticket to win. Plus I'm in a lottery group of 82 people who's putting in $10 a piece. Now you do the math and guess what we still haven't won in 15 years. But hey those are my two strategy and I just hope the lottery gods send it my way 🍀
you never know whats going to happen, till it happens
Goodbye 1995 Honda Accord. Hello 2024 Aston Martin DB12
The odds are so dismal that we're looking at 3 or 4 winners a year. And what happened to the initial 40 million jackpot?
You spelled Tennessee wrong, it's Michigan,
Good Luck.
I buy 1 ticket with PowerPlay for every $100million of cash value so I have 4 lines for Saturday.
I've been in pools and even ran one for a long time, but didn't have much luck.
I keep trying all the same, hoping for a win.
Considering the odds are even higher for mega millions than they are for Powerball I don't understand either why mega millions doesn't hold the jackpot record.
The only thing I can think of is that Powerball has a greater name recognition than mega millions and that casual last minute lotto fever frenzy types mistakenly ask the clerk for a Powerball ticket when they mean mega millions .
I'm tempted to say " I taught you well young Padawan " but, I think you and I both had that purchasing method figured out already.
you mean the Aston Martin DB5
No the DB12
Goodbye California.... Hello Barbados !
Good luck to everyone on Saturday
I know we all know this, but I thought it was a good read:
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/29/business/lottery-jackpot-megamillions-powerball.html?smid=url-share
I was wondering if they were ever going to go back to that $40M starting JP...
"I feel this pot going to climb into the top 3 "
Maybe, but it needs to almost double, to about 1.815 billion to be in the real top 3, based on the current cash:annuity ratio.
"It will reach a billion by Saturday for sure.
That would require actual sales to be almost twice as much as the original forecast. Call me crazy, but I think that seems just a tiny bit unlikely.
"Considering the odds are even higher for mega millions than they are for Powerball ..."
The very high odds for both games is a big part of the reason. If you flip coin with only two possible outcomes there's a still good chance that you need to do it a lot more than 2 times before the total results are close to what probability suggests. Even going all the way back tot h beginning of MM and PB there have been very few jackpots relative to the odds, so there's no reason to expect the total results to be particularly close to what probability suggests. The handful of jackpots that have made it past half a billion dollars for the cash value (the variable annuity value is meaningless in terms or probability) are statistical outliers and a bad way to evaluate the actual results against what probability suggests.
FWIW, the magic cash fairy struck again and the sales forecast has miraculously increased exactly enough to maintain the advertised annuity value even though the interest rate went down a bit since the initial forecast. They're currently claiming the cash value generated by sales has increased to $452.3 Million .
goodbye 1 ply tp, hello quilted
Got my usual 5 qp for powerball and my usual numbers as well. Got my megabucks and megamillions as well. Best of luck to all that play on this website 👍
just reviewing my game plans and ideas
Grabbed a few QPs over the last day or so at different locations for tonights draw...... All the Redballs were higher than 21....hmmmmmm
An omen or an albatross ???
Cash value went up $2.6 Million
( now #16 at $452.3 Million) 
Got my one QP PB ticket with PP.
Calling on Fortuna to smile at me during tonight's drawing.
I bought 4 lines for this draw and again didn't match a single number, even the PB.
Need to find some other ways to pick my numbers.
No winners....
It rolled but not quite to a billion!