$1.5 BILLION: Massive Powerball jackpot fuels rush for tickets

Comment #59

TBFio07 — Mon, 22 Dec 2025 10:30:07 GMT

1.5 billion is before taxes

Comment #58

Bleudog101 — Sun, 21 Dec 2025 10:07:30 GMT

$1.6 Billion

Comment #57

PrisonerSix — Sun, 21 Dec 2025 06:23:35 GMT

Since the cash is in the $700million range, I'm buying 7 tickets.

Comment #56

heisenberg991 — Sun, 21 Dec 2025 05:19:54 GMT

Going large for monday with 5 tickets

Comment #55

EnReval — Sun, 21 Dec 2025 04:33:19 GMT

Well #28 is hot

this was a nice run

Comment #54

grwurston — Sun, 21 Dec 2025 00:54:33 GMT

This... https://youtu.be/b5-iJUuPWis?si=Xb9-ki_v_5Mwoh5d

Comment #53

ShagE3 — Sat, 20 Dec 2025 22:24:42 GMT

Hi folks,

I'm writing to inform you that you are no longer obligated to eat liverwurst or oliveloaf sandwiches before purchasing your tickets. I know it's last minute but if you already had an lv or ol sandwich beware cuz it isn't some magic wand whereby you eat it then head to lottery headquarters with winning ticket in hand.

Now that I got that off my chest .,..if there is a winner tonight and it's not me I'm hoping it is one of you, Todd and Kate included. Just don't let anyone or an... [ More ]

Comment #52

hsg2000 — Sat, 20 Dec 2025 21:35:08 GMT

Do not talk such stupid stuff, be grateful for whatever you have won and netted in your pocket.

Comment #51

Todd — Sat, 20 Dec 2025 20:58:17 GMT

The interest rate is locked in when the lottery sets the estimate. It is not floating as you suggest. You're completely backwards in your analysis. I'd recommend viewing our video for how jackpots are calculated.

Comment #50

EnReval — Sat, 20 Dec 2025 20:43:11 GMT

I read both articles

y'all are awesome

we are all hopeful

Comment #49

Wildbill78 — Sat, 20 Dec 2025 18:54:24 GMT

Oh that's right! To bad I can't edit it! Well thanks for the update. I'll be mindful next time. Take care

Comment #48

KY Floyd — Sat, 20 Dec 2025 17:42:02 GMT

Can't get anything past you, can I? Except sarcasm.

Along with the lower interest rate and a magically increased cash value, the sales estimate was revised downward from $312 million to $288.5 million. The estimate for the funded annuity was also revised downward from 1.502B to 1.475B. The only reason the posted cash value was raised is because the previously posted cash value can't buy a big enough annuity to match what they've advertised.

It's hardly the first time. For at least a cou... [ More ]

Comment #47

EnReval — Sat, 20 Dec 2025 15:38:47 GMT

Are u buying more tickets just because you can budget wise

Comment #46

Bleudog101 — Sat, 20 Dec 2025 13:20:46 GMT

Last night hit cash out button on the Historic Racing Machine for $1903. Slots are illegal in KY, so they 'skirt' the law by using altered slot machines to reflect old horse races. Low bets with a jackpot win of $600 and above are subject to Federal and State taxes and machine shuts off until reset after payout. However if you bet 'high' jackpots aren't taxed. A guy yesterday doing $100 bets won $5200 and $8500 and slot attendant said there was one other too. None of them taxable.

One featur... [ More ]

Comment #45

EnReval — Sat, 20 Dec 2025 13:10:12 GMT

I keep thinking shld I get another tkt or hold off til Sunday for Monday draw

Comment #44

GGStarlings — Sat, 20 Dec 2025 04:28:41 GMT

I agree with that. Whenever I have thrown money at a game, it's usually a complete loss. It's probably a needful vibe that jinxes it.

Comment #43

TwoMillion — Sat, 20 Dec 2025 03:55:05 GMT

it seems people are tired of lottery or are we in a recession? (basing on the amount of money spent, back in Aug of this year when the jackpot was at $1.1B, people spent ~$250M for the jackpot. For this time around, people only spent about $130M for similar size of jackpot.

This 20-year-old Canadian lotto winner refused $1M in cash and chose $1,000/week for life.

she could have taken the money, then bought shares of ETF JEPI, it d earn her 35c monthly dividend for a share or ~$72K/ year

Comment #42

EnReval — Sat, 20 Dec 2025 01:55:20 GMT

I did more quick picks am tired, I like the drill of figuring out numbers but not for next cple draws

i hate to play a number last draw and not the next

Comment #41

Todd — Sat, 20 Dec 2025 00:33:48 GMT

That is incorrect.

The cash option is not a calculation, it is a direct estimate based on actual + estimated remaining sales. The cash value going up means more tickets were sold to this point than were anticipated to be sold at this point.

The annuity certainly changed too, based on the updated cash amount, but likely not enough to change a 1.xx billion precision format.

Comment #40

CDanaT — Fri, 19 Dec 2025 20:48:37 GMT

Sorta brings a tear to your eye when that happens...... I could see the cash value reaching $700M

Comment #39

KY Floyd — Fri, 19 Dec 2025 20:39:58 GMT

I see the cash option was updated, it is now $689.3 million. The annuity is still $1.5 billion.

Will it be raised again tomorrow before the drawing?

The interest rate has dropped slightly, so each cash dollar will now buy $2.176 worth of annuity instead of $2.185 worth of annuity. Players are wildly unlikely to buy a different number of tickets because of a change in interest rate so it seems wildly unlikely that a legitimate sales forecast was revised upward exactly as much as require... [ More ]

Comment #38

ShagE3 — Fri, 19 Dec 2025 20:32:23 GMT

Very good ....

Good discipline indeed ......

Have a shaggy day!

ShagE3

Comment #37

Todd — Fri, 19 Dec 2025 19:56:50 GMT

Jackpot updated: The cash option increased today from $686.5 million to $689.3 million .

Will it be raised again tomorrow before the drawing

Comment #36

PrisonerSix — Fri, 19 Dec 2025 18:30:26 GMT

My rule is 1 ticket for every $100million of cash value so right now I have 6 tickets. I've been checking to see if it hits $700million because if it does, I need to get 1 more

Comment #35

PrisonerSix — Fri, 19 Dec 2025 18:26:58 GMT

Gerry Rafferty said it best; Settle down in a quiet little town and forget about everything.

Comment #34

Dave Bowman — Fri, 19 Dec 2025 17:13:53 GMT

I see the cash option was updated, it is now $689.3 million. The annuity is still $1.5 billion.

Comment #33

Bleudog101 — Fri, 19 Dec 2025 15:24:14 GMT

We are not an anonymous state per se (KY), but go to the winner's page and many say anonymous as well as their FB page.

One thing 'they' told me playing on-line they will NOT cut separate checks like they would for in store purchases.

Comment #32

sully16 — Fri, 19 Dec 2025 15:06:37 GMT

I agree, 20 degrees out today, my bones don't like cold anymore and I'm 63.

Comment #31

rcbbuckeye — Fri, 19 Dec 2025 13:02:52 GMT

I think I would forget about fancy cars (I am 71) and find a nice quiet private island where it's warm and get away from the world madness.

Comment #30

CDanaT — Fri, 19 Dec 2025 06:06:14 GMT

PERFECT !!! Doesn't get much better than that

Comment #29

Prob988 — Fri, 19 Dec 2025 05:51:10 GMT

The Poisson distribution giving the probability of various numbers of winners, based on the anticipated sales figures estimated at the Texas Lottery website, $311,928,188, is as follows:

k, number of winners p(m,k)

0 57.40%

1 31.86%

2 8.84%

3 1.64%

4 0.23%

5 0.03%

6 0.00%

If sales exceed the estimate, the probability of a rollover, 0 winners, will go down, and the probability of each number winners will go up. The probabilities of six or more winn... [ More ]

Comment #28

Suzy-Dittlenose — Fri, 19 Dec 2025 05:12:20 GMT

I'm going to spurge and spend $20 on PB.

I don't know of anyone who buys the $5 MM tickets.

Comment #27

JustMaybe — Fri, 19 Dec 2025 04:34:20 GMT

One thing is certain for me - am not rushing to buy many tickets - two or three per draw - I have learnt over time that maybe that's all one needs.

Comment #26

Coin Toss — Fri, 19 Dec 2025 04:18:05 GMT

Not sure they should have made it three. Most people play Powerball for $2 even though one more dollar would mean $2M instead o0f $1M for hitting 5 + 0. Three dollars and five dollars both appear to be 'sting numbers' for ticket prices.

Comment #25

wander73 — Fri, 19 Dec 2025 03:05:21 GMT

I'm still wondering, whose idea was to make it five dollars a ticket and I can see why what they did. They should've just made it three

Comment #24

Cupcake2016 — Fri, 19 Dec 2025 02:33:24 GMT

First time ever posting on here. Been a long time Powerball player. I was buying tickets as far back as 1998 when I was 13 as I bribed gas station clerks to sell them to me. Lol. 1.5B dollars is insane. I'm hoping it gets split at least three ways. Who really needs 1.5B?!? Idk.

Comment #23

Super-man — Fri, 19 Dec 2025 01:38:30 GMT

If we're lucky, let's just get 'em all (Tourbillon, Brouillard, Chiron SS, Veyron SS, EB110, Type 57 Atlantic, etc.

Comment #22

ShagE3 — Fri, 19 Dec 2025 01:07:50 GMT

The way life is going as of now I will have 6 less tickets for Saturday's drawing than I had for Wednesdays draw.

I still probably should have bought 7 less tickets than I did but anyhow.

Funny I had $26 to spend and I actually considered foregoing the power play in order to purchase lucky 13 tickets for the next drawing but instead got the pp option and now I have $2 to my name.

Come to the think of it I could have spent those 2 dollars on a power play less powerball. Oh well!

H... [ More ]

Comment #21

JustMaybe — Thu, 18 Dec 2025 23:18:03 GMT

Oh well, I am taking your advice and heading down to the store. Thank you.

Comment #20

GGStarlings — Thu, 18 Dec 2025 22:08:43 GMT

I had a feeling it would roll over. As my son would say, This could buy a whole lotta cheeseburgers.

Comment #19

Tucker Black — Thu, 18 Dec 2025 21:43:30 GMT

I didn't win the last time the jackpot was this big, so forget it.

Comment #18

Coin Toss — Thu, 18 Dec 2025 21:22:04 GMT

I didn't say it will be me so how did I jinx myself

Comment #17

hearsetrax — Thu, 18 Dec 2025 20:37:31 GMT

at You CT ... thanks 4 jinxing yourselves

Comment #16

grwurston — Thu, 18 Dec 2025 20:12:49 GMT

That will be me.

Comment #15

Coin Toss — Thu, 18 Dec 2025 19:41:51 GMT

May whoever wins it play a quick pick in a state that allows winners to claim anonymously.

Comment #14

sully16 — Thu, 18 Dec 2025 19:15:41 GMT

Good luck everybody.

Comment #13

KY Floyd — Thu, 18 Dec 2025 17:04:18 GMT

I hope it actually gets to $3 Billion so when I or someone hit it we can literally see someone walk away as a billionaire after cash option and taxes.

It's not impossible, but it's going to take a lot more than $3 billion for that to happen unless interest rates go way down. Even if interest rates go way down it will still take the same amount of cash, and the same number of tickets without producing a winner sooner. With the current interest rate you'd net about 29% of the annuity value af... [ More ]

Comment #12

CDanaT — Thu, 18 Dec 2025 16:25:53 GMT

The Tourbillon or maybe the Brouillard ??? I am still a fan of the Chiron Supper Sport

Comment #11

Droptop209 — Thu, 18 Dec 2025 15:59:23 GMT

Goodbye 1995 Honda Accord. Hello 2026 Bugatti

Comment #10

Todd — Thu, 18 Dec 2025 15:46:26 GMT

Correct as you can see in the original story about Castro claiming the prize, he got $628.5 million after taxes. (Link to that story is also included in the article above.

Comment #9

hearsetrax — Thu, 18 Dec 2025 15:22:27 GMT

would be interesting to see the PB set a new record

Comment #8

heisenberg991 — Thu, 18 Dec 2025 15:17:25 GMT

I really need to hit his jackpot. My fave Lucky Charms 26 oz is 7 bucks and that just aint right.

Comment #7

johnnyBlaze — Thu, 18 Dec 2025 15:06:51 GMT

You should get your facts straight first. He ended up with $620M+ after taxes.

CA doesn't tax lottery winnings.

Comment #6

Wildbill78 — Thu, 18 Dec 2025 14:57:11 GMT

I hope it actually gets to $3 Billion so when I or someone hit it we can literally see someone walk away as a billionaire after cash option and taxes. That's what it's going to take. Everyone keep calling the record jackpot winner a billionaire and he's not. After winning the 2.034 Billion he ended up with $400 something million after taxes and everything and that great but in reality he's not a billionaire. Their level to this so I have a feeling it's going to break the California record and th... [ More ]

Comment #5

Bleudog101 — Thu, 18 Dec 2025 14:47:23 GMT

In a super groggy state around 3 a.m. kept asking Alexa what the PB jackpot was. Finally whipped out the phone and looked it up. She was right, mindset was the jackpot was $1.5 billion already and not all the states reported in and that Alexa was wrong.

Not one dollar here

Comment #4

CDanaT — Thu, 18 Dec 2025 14:47:10 GMT

$686,500,000 Cash Value has such a nice ring to it. And that 1st payment Annuity figure of $22,577,153 isn't a bad number to start out at either. (tapping head like Winnie the Pooh) Which choice shall I make after Saturdays win

Comment #3

hearsetrax — Thu, 18 Dec 2025 14:45:07 GMT

imagine the possibilities

Comment #2

EnReval — Thu, 18 Dec 2025 14:39:44 GMT

Wondering when MM will ever get pass 1.5 bil due to it increased to $5, people spend more at $2

Comment #1

wander73 — Thu, 18 Dec 2025 14:03:44 GMT

i wasn't thinking about this. well lets see what happens. only the lottery knows when it will hit.

$1.5 BILLION: Massive Powerball jackpot fuels rush for tickets

Lottery Post — Thu, 18 Dec 2025 13:37:13 GMT

7th-largest lottery jackpot in world history

By Todd Northrop

Last night, the multi-state Powerball lottery game produced no top winner for the 44th consecutive drawing, prompting lottery officials to raise the game's jackpot to an astonishing $1.5 billion.

A winner who chooses the cash option would receive a staggering lump-sum of $686.5 million.

It's the stuff that a lottery player's dreams are made of holding a lottery ticket for an upcoming Powerball drawing with the potentia... [ More ]