Winning numbers drawn for $1.8 billion Powerball jackpot

Powerball officials have drawn the winning numbers for the Saturday, Sept. 6, 2025, drawing of the $1.8 billion jackpot: 11, 23, 44, 61, 62, with Powerball 17. The prize represents the second-largest jackpot in the history of the multi-state game.

The odds of matching all six numbers remain 1 in 292.2 million. The top prize can be taken as a lump-sum payment of $826.4 million before taxes or as an annuity that would pay roughly $5 million a year for 29 years. Lottery officials cautioned that they were still tabulating results as ticket sales and prize claims are verified, and said the Powerball website experienced a service outage at the moment of the drawing amid unusually high traffic.

If a single ticket matches the six numbers, that ticketholder would claim the headline $1.8 billion annuity total or the stated lump-sum option. If multiple tickets match, the prize would be split among winners. The largest Powerball jackpot on record was $2.04 billion in 2022.

Taxation will substantially reduce any lump-sum payout. Federal rules require an automatic 24 percent withholding on prizes above $5,000, which would immediately reduce the $826.4 million lump sum by about $198.3 million. Winners subject to the top federal marginal rate could owe a total of 37 percent, meaning an additional roughly $107.4 million could be due at tax time, leaving an estimated $520.6 million before state taxes. State and local income taxes vary and can further cut the net amount a winner takes home; residents of jurisdictions with higher income-tax rates could see a larger reduction.

Powerball is played in 45 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The game began in April 1992. Through 2025 there have been several large prize payouts; officials noted there have already been multiple million-dollar winners this year, including a $204.5 million prize claimed in California in May.

The drawing also renewed scrutiny of how many tickets are sold and how numbers are generated. Some commentators and a small number of analysts have raised questions about the Quick Pick option, the computerized selection method used on many tickets, arguing that repeats of number combinations among purchased Quick Picks could reduce the number of unique combinations among players and therefore increase the chance of multiple winners sharing a jackpot. The Multi-State Lottery Association, which runs the Powerball game, has defended game procedures, saying randomized selections and ticket sales patterns are inherent to the system and pointing to past drawings that produced single or multiple winners.

Lottery officials said normal audit and validation procedures will be followed before any large prize is paid and warned players to hold on to tickets and sign them as instructed. Winners who choose the annuity option would receive the advertised total paid in 30 graduated installments over 29 years, beginning with the initial payment soon after validation, while lump-sum winners receive the one-time cash option less applicable withholdings and taxes.

The high-profile drawing generated heavy retail and online interest. Retailers reported long lines and rapid ticket turnover in many locations in the days leading up to the drawing, and lottery offices said they were preparing for an influx of prize claims if one or more winning tickets are identified.

Officials urged players to verify their tickets carefully, protect them from loss or alteration, and consult legal and financial advisers before making decisions about claiming a major prize. If a winning ticket is presented, state lottery procedures will govern verification, prize payment and any required public disclosures about the claim.

State lottery offices and the Multi-State Lottery Association said they would provide updates as claims are validated and any winning tickets are announced.