Powerball Jackpot Soars to $1.23 Billion
The Powerball jackpot has reached an astounding $1.23 billion, making it one of the largest in history. The cash value before the next drawing stands at $595.1 million. The next drawing is scheduled for Saturday, April 6. This jackpot is the fourth-largest in Powerball history, and excitement is building as players across the country purchase tickets in hopes of winning big.
Recent Winners and Historical Context
No one has won the Powerball jackpot since January 1, when a player from Michigan won $842 million. The largest Powerball jackpot ever was $2.04 billion, won by a single California winner in November 2022. Recently, the Mega Millions lottery was won on March 26 by a New Jersey player who matched all six numbers to win $1.13 billion. These massive jackpots highlight the potential for life-changing winnings.
Powerball Drawing Schedule
Powerball drawings are held three times a week, on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday at 10:59 p.m. ET. This frequent schedule gives players multiple opportunities each week to try their luck at winning the jackpot. The last winning numbers for the April 3 drawing were 11, 38, 41, 62, and 65, with the red Powerball being 15. There were no jackpot or Match5 + Power Play winners, but there were Match5 $1 million winners in several states.
Power Play Feature
For an additional $1 per play, players can add the Power Play feature to their tickets. This feature multiplies non-jackpot prizes by two, three, four, five, or ten times. The Match5 with Power Play prize is always worth $2 million. This feature adds an extra layer of excitement and potential winnings for players.
How to Play Powerball
Each Powerball play costs $2. Players select five numbers from a pool of numbers between one and sixty-nine for the white balls and one number from one to twenty-six for the red Powerball. Players can choose their own numbers or let the lottery terminal randomly pick them. The odds of winning the jackpot are approximately one in 292 million, while the odds of winning the lowest prize ($4 for matching just the red Powerball) are one in 38.32. Overall, the odds of winning any prize are one in 24.87.
Largest Ever Powerball Jackpots
The top five largest Powerball jackpots ever won include the $2.04 billion jackpot won in California, the $1.586 billion jackpot shared by winners in California, Florida, and Tennessee, and the $768.4 million jackpot won in Wisconsin. These historic jackpots demonstrate the incredible potential for massive winnings in the Powerball lottery.
Where to Buy Lottery Tickets
Lottery tickets can be purchased in person at gas stations, convenience stores, grocery stores, and some airport terminals. Additionally, tickets can be bought online through the Jackpocket app in specific U.S. states and territories. The Jackpocket app is the official digital lottery courier of USA TODAY Network, allowing users to pick games and numbers, place orders, see tickets, and collect winnings via phone or computer. The app is available in states such as Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Texas, Washington D.C., and West Virginia.
Gambling Problem Resources
For those who may have a gambling problem, various support lines are available based on location. New York residents can call or text HOPE-NY, Massachusetts residents can call, Oregon residents can call MYLIMIT, Puerto Rico residents can call, and other areas can use the GAMBLER helpline. These resources provide support and assistance for individuals struggling with gambling addiction.
Upcoming Mega Millions Jackpot
The next Mega Millions drawing is scheduled for Tuesday, with an estimated jackpot of $245 million and a cash option of $110.7 million. The previous drawing on November 10 had an estimated jackpot of $223 million, but no one claimed the jackpot. The winning numbers for that drawing were 13, 33, 59, 68, and 70, with the Mega Ball being 8 and the Megaplier being 3x. The Mega Millions lottery offers another opportunity for players to win big.
Recent Mega Millions Wins and Rollovers
On October 6, a Texas ticket won $360 million, and on November 7, no one claimed the $196 million jackpot, resulting in a rollover to November 10’s $223 million jackpot. A Georgia ticket matched five numbers plus the Megaplier for a $3 million prize. On November 3, a Florida ticket matched five numbers for a $1 million prize. These recent wins and rollovers highlight the ongoing excitement and potential for significant winnings in the Mega Millions lottery.
Powerball Updates
On October 11, a California ticket won almost a $2 billion jackpot by matching all five numbers plus the Powerball. Two Florida tickets won $1 million each from Sunshine Supermarket in Naples and Publix in Sunrise. The next Powerball drawing is at 11 p.m. ET on Saturday, November 11. Powerball tickets start at $2 each, and the odds of winning the grand prize jackpot are approximately one in 292.2 million. The odds of winning any prize are one in 24.9.
Largest Lottery Jackpots Ever
The largest-ever lottery prize was a Powerball jackpot of over $2 billion won by Edwin Castro from California on February 14, 2023. Nine jackpots have reached or surpassed $1 billion, with only one exceeding $2 billion. These record-breaking jackpots demonstrate the immense potential for life-changing winnings in the lottery.
Frequently Asked Questions about Lotteries
The odds of winning the Mega Millions grand prize jackpot are approximately one in 302,575,350. Prizes range from matching the Mega Ball ($2) to the grand prize jackpot, which varies. In Florida, lottery winners cannot remain anonymous except temporarily for prizes over $250,000 (90 days). Unclaimed prize money in the Florida Lottery goes mostly to the Educational Enhancement Trust Fund (80%) and back to future drawings’ prize pools (20%). Unclaimed Mega Millions or Powerball prizes are returned proportionally to participating lotteries based on sales during the rollover series.
Conclusion
The upcoming and future big lottery jackpots in the USA offer exciting opportunities for players to win life-changing amounts of money. With the Powerball jackpot currently at $1.23 billion and the Mega Millions jackpot at $245 million, there are plenty of chances for players to try their luck. Whether purchasing tickets in person or through the Jackpocket app, players can participate in these thrilling lotteries and potentially become the next big winner. Remember to play responsibly and seek help if you have a gambling problem.
