Jackpot of estimated $1B up for grabs Wednesday night
An astounding Powerball jackpot of $1 billion is up for grabs in Wednesday night’s lottery drawing.
A gas station in Mott Haven was the lucky spot where one ticket buyer won $1 million in Monday night’s drawing.
This $1 billion jackpot is the third largest in U.S. history. It came about in a streak of 38 consecutive drawings without a grand prize winner.
Some players in Arizona, Georgia, and Texas woke up $2 million richer on Tuesday, because they utilized the Power Play option when buying their tickets. Tickets that won small, sold in Connecticut, Florida, Kentucky, New York, and Pennsylvania, were all worth $1 million.
The Powerball jackpot was last hit in the April 19, 2023 drawing, when a ticket in Ohio matched all five white balls and the red Powerball to win a grand prize worth $252.6 million.
Your chances of winning may be one in 300 million, but that doesn’t stop Americans from playing Powerball and dreaming of what they would do with the jackpot.
Meanwhile, the Mega Millions jackpot has jumped to an estimated $640 million ($328.0 million cash) for the next drawing on Tuesday, July 18.
Here is a look at the 10 largest U.S. jackpots that have been won and the states where the winning tickets were sold:
1. $2.04 billion, Powerball, Nov. 8, 2022 (one ticket, from California)
2. $1.586 billion, Powerball, Jan. 13, 2016 (three tickets, from California, Florida, and Tennessee)
3. $1.537 billion, Mega Millions, Oct. 23, 2018 (one ticket, from South Carolina)
4. $1.35 billion, Mega Millions, Jan. 13, 2023 (one ticket from Maine)
5. $1.337 billion, Mega Millions, July 29, 2022 (one ticket, from Illinois)
6. $1.05 billion, Mega Millions, Jan. 22, 2021 (one ticket, from Michigan)
7. $768.4 million, Powerball, March 27, 2019 (one ticket, from Wisconsin)
8. $758.7 million, Powerball, Aug. 23, 2017 (one ticket, from Massachusetts)
9. $774.6 million, Powerball, Feb. 6, 2023 (one ticket, from Washington state)
10. $731.1 million, Powerball, Jan. 20, 2021 (one ticket, from Maryland)
If it seems like you have been hearing more about these big jackpots recently, that is because Mega Millions and Powerball both changed their rules back in 2015 and 2017. Those changes improved players’ chances of winning smaller prizes, but made it more difficult to win the jackpot.
For more information about the New York lottery and to see lottery results, please visit nylottery.ny.gov
New Yorkers struggling with a gambling addiction, or who know someone who is, can find help by calling the State’s toll-free, confidential HOPEline at 1-877-8-HOPENY (1-877-846-7369) or by texting HOPENY (467369). Standard text rates may apply.