Two Tickets Share Historic $1.79 Billion Powerball Jackpot
Winning tickets sold in Missouri and Texas split the second-largest prize in the game's history, ending a three-month run without a grand-prize winner
Two winning Powerball tickets sold in Missouri and Texas matched Saturday night's numbers to claim an estimated $1.79 billion jackpot, the second-largest prize in the game's history. Under Powerball rules, the prize will be split equally, leaving each ticket-holder with an estimated $895 million before any taxes or lump-sum elections.
The drawing produced the numbers 11, 23, 44, 61, 62 and the red Powerball 17. The jackpot had climbed over a three-month period without a grand-prize winner, setting a new single-jackpot record for 2025 and eclipsing the March top prize of $526.5 million.
The win ranks as the second-largest in Powerball history, surpassing many previous multi-state payouts. It follows a $1.765 billion prize claimed in 2023 by a California group that included Theodorus Struyck; that group opted for a lump-sum payment reported at $744 million before taxes. Powerball's odds of matching all six numbers to win the grand prize are 1 in 292.2 million.
Winners of large jackpots may choose between an annuity paid over decades or a one-time lump-sum payment, and federal and state taxes will apply to whichever option is selected. State lottery offices in Missouri and Texas customarily provide claim instructions and counseling resources to big winners; officials in both states typically require claimants to file paperwork and may release the winners' names depending on state disclosure laws and any legal protections the winners seek.
The multi-state Powerball game and similar lotteries often see ticket sales surge as jackpots escalate, and the draw prompted a flurry of retail and online purchases in the days leading up to Saturday night's drawing. Retailers that sell winning tickets typically collect commission and bonus payments governed by state lottery rules.
Long jackpot runs carry operational and regulatory considerations for participating lotteries, including the management of ticket sales, prize verification and the coordination required when multiple jurisdictions are involved in processing a single large prize. Officials with the Powerball consortium oversee the drawing and distribution of funds, while state agencies handle claims and payout logistics for tickets sold within their borders.
Lottery winners have in recent years faced strategic choices about how to receive and manage large sums, and many consult financial and legal advisors before claiming multimillion-dollar prizes. Past winners have demonstrated a range of decisions on anonymity, lump-sum cashouts and annuity selections.
Saturday's outcome closes a three-month period without a grand-prize winner and will have immediate implications for retail sales, state lottery balances and public attention on multi-state lottery games. Further details about the Missouri and Texas ticket purchasers, including where the tickets were sold, will be released as state lottery offices complete prize verification and any required claimant decisions are made public.