With no winner Wednesday night, the Powerball jackpot continues to climb through billion-dollar territory and is quickly approaching its world record jackpot amount. Saturday’s jackpot is estimated at $1.5 billion, with a cash option of $745.9 million.
According to the lottery, if a player wins Saturday’s jackpot, it will be the second-largest jackpot in Powerball history and third-largest jackpot in U.S. lottery history, only behind the world record $1.586 billion Powerball jackpot and the $1.537 billion Mega Million jackpot.
The jackpot rolled after no ticket matched all six numbers drawn Wednesday night – white balls 2, 11, 22, 35, 60 and red Powerball 23.
Despite there being no jackpot winner i Wednesday’s drawing, more than 7.2 million tickets won cash prizes totaling $74.9 million. Big winners include 16 tickets (AZ, CA-2, CO, GA-2, MD-2, MN, NC, NJ-2, NY, OR, TX, VA) that matched all five white balls to win a $1 million prize. Three tickets (AR, MT, NJ) matched all five white balls and increased the prize to $2 million by including the Power Play option for an additional $1 per play. There were also 189 tickets nationwide that won a $50,000 prize, and another 49 tickets that won a $100,000 prize.
Saturday’s drawing will be the 40th Powerball drawing since the jackpot was last won on August 3 in Pennsylvania. If no one wins the jackpot in Saturday’s drawing, it will tie the game record for the number of consecutive drawings without a grand prize winner. The longest jackpot run in Powerball history ended on Oct. 4, 2021, when a ticket in California won a $699.8 million jackpot on the 41st drawing.
Jackpot winners may choose to receive their prize as an annuity, paid in 30 graduated payments over 29 years, or a lump sum payment. Both advertised prize options are prior to federal and jurisdictional taxes. The overall odds of winning a prize are 1 in 24.9. The odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 292.2 million.
To date, Powerball holds the world record for largest jackpot set in 2016. The record $1.586 billion jackpot was shared by winners in California, Florida and Tennessee.
Top 10 Powerball Jackpots
1. $1.586 Billion – Jan. 13, 2016 – CA, FL, TN
2. $1.5 Billion (Est.) – Nov. 5, 2022
3. $768.4 Million – March 27, 2019 – WI
4. $758.7 Million – Aug. 23, 2017 – MA
5. $731.1 Million – Jan. 20, 2021 – MD
6. $699.8 Million – Oct. 4, 2021 – CA
7. $687.8 Million – Oct. 27, 2018 – IA, NY
8. $632.6 Million – Jan. 5, 2022 – CA, WI
9. $590.5 Million – May 18, 2013 – FL
10. $587.5 Million – Nov. 28, 2012 – AZ, MO
