Massive sales triggers jackpot increase to #2 all-time

4th-largest cash value in history

By Todd Northrop

Due to a ticket-buying frenzy for Saturday's Powerball drawing, the Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL) has raised the official Powerball lottery jackpot estimate to $1.8 billion, making it the second-largest lottery jackpot in world history.

The all-important lump-sum cash value of the jackpot has been raised to $826.4 million, which is the fourth-largest lottery cash value 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 $20 million on June 2, and is the result of 41 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 $1.7 billion, with a cash value of $770.3 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.

You can weigh the tax consequences of the annuity vs. cash choice state-by-state by visiting the Jackpot Analysis page at USA Mega, a website devoted to the Powerball and Mega Millions multi-state lottery games. The feature calculates both the initial withholdings and the final tax burden due at the end of the year, and even can show taxes calculated for different IRS filing statuses.

Lottery players seeking to check the winning numbers Saturday night 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, 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.

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.

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.

Top 25 United States lottery jackpots of all time

Saturday's Powerball jackpot currently stands as the second-largest lottery jackpot of all time worldwide.

1. Powerball: $2.0401 billion, Nov. 7, 2022 (40 rollovers, starting at $20 million) - California
2. Powerball: $1.8 billion, Sep. 6, 2025 (41 rollovers, starting at $20 million) - Preliminary estimate, not won yet
3. Powerball: $1.7649 billion, Oct. 11, 2023 (35 rollovers, starting at $20 million) - California
4. Mega Millions: $1.602 billion, Aug. 8, 2023 (31 rollovers, starting at $20 million) - Florida
5. Powerball: $1.5864 billion, Jan. 13, 2016 (19 rollovers, starting at $40 million) - California, Florida, Tennessee
6. Mega Millions: $1.537 billion, Oct. 23, 2018 (25 rollovers, starting at $40 million) - South Carolina
7. Mega Millions: $1.348 billion, Jan. 13, 2023 (25 rollovers, starting at $20 million) - Maine
8. Mega Millions: $1.337 billion, Jul. 29, 2022 (29 rollovers, starting at $20 million) - Illinois
9. Powerball: $1.3259 billion, Apr. 6, 2024 (40 rollovers, starting at $20 million) - Oregon
10. Mega Millions: $1.269 billion, Dec. 27, 2024 (30 rollovers, starting at $20 million) - California
11. Mega Millions: $1.128 billion, Mar. 26, 2024 (30 rollovers, starting at $20 million) - New Jersey
12. Powerball: $1.0798 billion, Jul. 19, 2023 (38 rollovers, starting at $20 million) - California
13. Mega Millions: $1.05 billion, Jan. 22, 2021 (36 rollovers, starting at $20 million) - Michigan
14. Powerball: $842.4 million, Jan. 1, 2024 (34 rollovers, starting at $20 million) - Michigan
15. Mega Millions: $800 million, Sep. 10, 2024 (27 rollovers, starting at $20 million) - Texas
16. Powerball: $768.4 million, Mar. 27, 2019 (25 rollovers, starting at $40 million) - Wisconsin
17. Powerball: $758.7 million, Aug. 23, 2017 (20 rollovers, starting at $40 million) - Massachusetts
18. Powerball: $754.6 million, Feb. 6, 2023 (33 rollovers, starting at $20 million) - Washington
19. Powerball: $731.1 million, Jan. 20, 2021 (35 rollovers, starting at $20 million) - Maryland
20. Powerball: $699.8 million, Oct. 4, 2021 (40 rollovers, starting at $20 million) - California
21. Powerball: $687.8 million, Oct. 27, 2018 (21 rollovers, starting at $40 million) - Iowa, New York
22. Mega Millions: $656 million, Mar. 30, 2012 (18 rollovers, starting at $12 million) - Illinois, Kansas, Maryland
23. Mega Millions: $648 million, Dec. 17, 2013 (21 rollovers, starting at $12 million) - California, Georgia
24. Powerball: $632.6 million, Jan 5, 2022 (39 rollovers, starting at $20 million) - California, Wisconsin
25. Powerball: $590.5 million, May 18, 2013 (13 rollovers, starting at $40 million) - Florida

The number of jackpots in the top 25, by lottery game, are:

• Powerball: 15
• Mega Millions: 10

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 4th-largest cash value in history.

1. Powerball: $997.6 million cash, Nov. 7, 2022 ($2.0401 billion annuity) - California
2. Powerball: $983.5 million cash, Jan. 13, 2016 ($1.5864 billion annuity) - California, Florida, Tennessee
3. Mega Millions: $877.8 million cash, Oct. 23, 2018 ($1.537 billion annuity) - South Carolina
4. Powerball: $826.4 million cash, Sep. 6, 2025 ($1.8 billion annuity) - Preliminary estimate, not won yet
5. Mega Millions: $794.2 million cash, Aug. 8, 2023 ($1.602 billion annuity) - Florida
6. Mega Millions: $780.5 million cash, Jul. 29, 2022 ($1.337 billion annuity) - Illinois
7. Mega Millions: $776.6 million cash, Jan. 22, 2021 ($1.05 billion annuity) - Michigan
8. Powerball: $774.1 million cash, Oct. 11, 2023 ($1.7649 billion annuity) - California
9. Mega Millions: $723.5 million cash, Jan. 13, 2023 ($1.348 billion annuity) - Maine
10. Powerball: $621 million cash, Apr. 6, 2024 ($1.3259 billion annuity) - Oregon
11. Mega Millions: $571.9 million cash, Dec. 27, 2024 ($1.269 billion annuity) - California
12. Powerball: $558.1 million cash, Jul. 19, 2023 ($1.0798 billion annuity) - California
13. Powerball: $546.8 million cash, Jan. 20, 2021 ($731.1 million annuity) - Maryland
14. Mega Millions: $536.6 million cash, Mar. 26, 2024 ($1.128 billion annuity) - New Jersey
15. Powerball: $496 million cash, Oct. 4, 2021 ($699.8 million annuity) - California
16. Powerball: $480.5 million cash, Aug. 23, 2017 ($758.7 million annuity) - Massachusetts
17. Powerball: $477 million cash, Mar. 27, 2019 ($768.4 million annuity) - Wisconsin
18. Mega Millions: $471 million cash, Mar. 30, 2012 ($656 million annuity) - Illinois, Kansas, Maryland
19. Powerball: $450.2 million cash, Jan. 5, 2022 ($632.6 million annuity) - California, Wisconsin
20. Powerball: $425.2 million cash, Jan. 1, 2024 ($842.4 million annuity) - Michigan
21. Powerball: $407.2 million cash, Feb. 6, 2023 ($754.6 million annuity) - Washington
22. Mega Millions: $404.2 million cash, Sep. 10, 2024 ($800 million annuity) - Texas
23. Powerball: $396.2 million cash, Oct. 27, 2018 ($687.8 million annuity) - Iowa, New York
24. Powerball: $384.7 million cash, Nov. 28, 2012 ($587.5 million annuity) - Arizona, Missouri
25. Powerball: $381.1 million cash, Feb. 11, 2015 ($564.1 million annuity) - North Carolina, Puerto Rico, Texas

The number of jackpot cash values in the top 25, by lottery game, are:

• Powerball: 16
• Mega Millions: 9