The Powerball jackpot has surged to an estimated $875 million, becoming the second-largest prize offered by the lottery this year and ranking among the largest in its history. The boost comes after Saturday night’s drawing produced no jackpot winner, according to an announcement posted on the Powerball website. The winning numbers drawn were 13, 14, 26, 28, and 44, with the Powerball number 7. The next chance for players to claim the growing prize will come on Monday, Dec. 8.
This year’s only larger jackpot was the record-setting $1.787 billion prize awarded in September, which was split between two winning tickets purchased in Missouri and Texas. That historic payout followed more than three months without a winner and stands as the second-largest jackpot in Powerball’s overall history. The current $875 million figure marks the seventh-largest jackpot in the game’s history.
The odds of securing the jackpot remain exceptionally steep at roughly one in 292 million. Winners who do match the five white balls in any order along with the red Powerball will face a choice between receiving a lump-sum cash payment—estimated at $403.6 million—or opting for the full annuitized prize, paid out annually over several decades. Both payout options are subject to federal and, in most states, additional local taxes.
Powerball, which began in 1992, requires players to purchase a $2 ticket and select five white numbers from 1 to 69 and a red Powerball number from 1 to 26. The jackpot increases with each drawing in which no ticket matches all the winning numbers. Powerball reports that an estimated $36 billion has been generated for state-chartered charitable programs since the game’s inception, with proceeds supporting education, public safety, senior services, and other state initiatives.
Images from across the country show long lines forming at convenience stores as players rush to purchase tickets in hopes of securing the massive prize. The growing excitement echoes the atmosphere during previous billion-dollar-plus jackpots, which have historically driven ticket sales to some of the highest levels nationwide.
Several of the largest jackpots in Powerball’s history highlight how rare moments like these have become major national events. The top prize remains the $2.04 billion jackpot claimed in California on Nov. 7, 2022. The $1.787 billion prize won earlier this year in Missouri, and Texas sits in the second spot, followed closely by the $1.765 billion jackpot that went to a California player in October 2023. Other record-setting wins span from Florida to Tennessee, Oregon, Michigan, and beyond, reflecting the nationwide reach of the lottery and its continued surge in popularity.
As anticipation builds heading into Monday night’s draw, Powerball encourages players to tune in to the televised results or watch online through its official channels. With the jackpot again nearing the billion-dollar threshold, millions of Americans are expected to make another attempt at claiming one of the largest fortunes ever offered in U.S. lottery history.
