Powerball jumps to $1.6B, fourth-largest prize in game history
No winner in Saturday’s drawing as the prize climbs before Monday’s drawing.
The Powerball jackpot surged to $1.6 billion after Saturday night’s drawing produced no grand prize winner, the fourth-largest prize in the game’s history. The winning numbers drawn were 4, 5, 28, 52, 69, with Powerball 20. The next drawing is Monday night.
The life-changing fortune has climbed steadily over the past three months, with no one matching all six numbers since Sept. 6. Saturday’s drawing marked the 45th consecutive run without a jackpot winner, a Powerball record officials noted. Odds of winning the grand prize remain 1 in 292,201,338.
Powerball officials stressed that the jackpot grows with every $2 ticket sold and that a portion of each ticket supports local public programs and services. In a statement, Matt Strawn, Powerball Product Group Chair and Iowa Lottery CEO, said, “This jackpot is set to deliver the ultimate windfall. The jackpot grows with every $2 ticket sold, and a portion of each ticket supports local public programs and services. We encourage everyone to have fun and play responsibly.”
If a lucky ticket holder defies the odds and matches all six numbers, they can choose to receive the jackpot as 30 annual payments or as a one-time cash payout. The lump-sum cash option is estimated at about $735.3 million before taxes, smaller than the advertised annuity total, which reflects the sum of the payments over time.
Historically, the Powerball record for biggest prize remains the $2.04 billion won in November 2022 by California resident Edwin Castro. Castro took the $998 million lump sum option and net about $628 million after taxes, according to the California Lottery. The last Powerball jackpot prior to this run was won in September, when two tickets split a $1.787 billion prize—the second-largest U.S. lottery jackpot on record.
As Monday night’s drawing approaches, officials remind players that participating in the game should be done for entertainment and not as an investment, particularly given the long odds of a win. The Powerball phenomenon continues to capture attention as a cultural moment, with fans across the country watching and speculating about the next numbers.