Unprecedented $1.70 Billion Jackpot Up for Grabs in This Weekend's Lottery
Lottery enthusiasts are buzzing with excitement as this Saturday's jackpot prize has surged to an astonishing $1.70 billion. This staggering amount also comes with a cash value of roughly $770.3 million.
One of the Biggest Jackpots in History
This weekend's lottery jackpot is the third largest in the history of US lottery games, only surpassed by the $2.04 billion and $1.765 billion prizes that were claimed in previous years. Both of these record-breaking prizes were won in the state of California.
The jackpot has seen a significant increase after no ticket managed to match all six numbers drawn in the last game. The numbers were white balls 3, 16, 29, 61, 69 and red ball 22, along with a Power Play® multiplier of 2.
Check Your Tickets - There Could Still Be a Win
While the grand prize remains unclaimed, lottery officials are urging players to double-check their tickets. Even without matching all the numbers, there are still prizes for matching the red ball or part of the winning numbers.
Across the nation, eleven tickets matched all five white balls, each winning a $1 million prize. These winning tickets were sold in several states, including California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota, Ohio and Pennsylvania. It's worth noting that in California, prize amounts are pari-mutuel and determined by the number of tickets sold and winners.
Furthermore, four lucky players matched all five white balls and opted for the Power Play® option, doubling their winnings to $2 million. These tickets were sold in Michigan, Oregon, Texas, and Wyoming.
In addition, there were 117 tickets that won $50,000 and 36 tickets that won $100,000 by matching four numbers plus the Powerball and Power Play respectively.
In total, more than 6.3 million tickets won cash prizes in the last drawing.
Double Play® Winners
In the separate Double Play® drawing, two tickets sold in Pennsylvania and Maine each won a $500,000 prize. Double Play® allows players to enter their numbers in an additional drawing for a chance to win up to $10 million.
The upcoming drawing will be the 42nd since the jackpot was last claimed on May 31, 2025, in California. This is the longest stretch in the game's history without a jackpot winner, surpassing the previous record of 41 consecutive drawings.
Claiming the Jackpot
If a player is lucky enough to win the jackpot, they will have the choice between an annuitized prize of $1.70 billion or a lump sum payment of $770.3 million, both before taxes. If they choose the annuitized option, they will receive an initial payment followed by 29 annual payments that increase by 5-percent each year.
Where to Play
Tickets for the lottery are priced at $2 per play and are available in 45 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Over half of the ticket sales revenue stays in the jurisdiction where the ticket was sold. Since its inception in 1992, the lottery has contributed more than $36 billion to various good causes supported by US lotteries.
Drawings for the lottery are held three times a week, every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday at 10:59 p.m. ET. The chance of winning any prize is 1 in 24.9, while the odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 292.2 million.
