- According to Florida Lottery's website, winners cannot remain anonymous. However, lottery experts say there are ways to remain anonymous if you win
- Players have a 1 in 292.2 million chance to match all six numbers whether the jackpot is $20 million or $1 billion
Once again, Powerball jackpot reached $1 billion. And now we have a winner!
The jackpot, the largest it's been since a record-setting $2.04 billion in November, officially reached the billion-dollar milestone after the Monday, July 17, drawing resulted in a rollover. No one matched all five numbers plus the Powerball, and just like that, the then-$900 million jackpot increased by $100 million, pushing the grand total to $1 billion just after midnight Tuesday.
Powerball players have a 1 in 292.2 million chance to match all five numbers plus the Powerball (more about odds below). Wednesday, July 19, numbers: 7-10-11-13-24 and the Powerball was 24. Power Play was 2x.
One ticket in California matched all five numbers and the Powerball. When the ticketholder claims their prize they could take the $1.08 billion or opt for a one-time cash payment of $558.1 million. And that won't be the only big money given away after Wednesday's drawing.
There were three prize tickets matching five numbers plus the Power Play to for $2 million prizes, one each in Florida, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island.
There were also more than 30 tickets around the country matching the $1 million Match 5 prize. Those tickets were purchased in California (7), Florida (4), Massachusettes (3), Maryland (2), New Jersey (2), New York (5), Texas (4), and one each in Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, New Hampshire, Ohio, Wisconsin and West Virginia.
The grand prize total made the "Top 10 largest Powerball jackpots" in the history of the game and the "Top 10 biggest lottery jackpots ever" (see below).
Will a $2 ticket make you a multimillionaire?
By the way, if you're checking Powerball numbers you may notice a repeat − the number 24 appears in the winning numbers and as the Powerball. It's not the first time this has happened, but it's definitely not common. The last "repeat" in numbers occurred in the Saturday, May 20, 2023, Powerball drawing: 17-23-32-38-63 and the Powerball was 23. Before that, on Oct. 31, 2022, the number 13 appeared twice, in the winning numbers and as the Powerball − and, oddly, that drawing also was for $1 billion.
Palindrome win? 1/22/21Yes, one lucky winner scored a billion-dollar jackpot on Jan. 22, 2021, a palindromic number
That one timewinning Powerball numbers for $1 billion jackpot on Halloween was odd — 13 appeared twice
In case you're wondering, Monday, July 17, numbers were 5-8-9-17-41 and the Powerball was 21. Power Play was 4x. Though the jackpot rolled over, it wasn't all bad news: Three tickets in Arkansas, Georgia and Texas matched five numbers plus the Power Play to win $2 million, and five tickets in Connecticut, Florida, Kentucky, New York and Pennsylvania matched five numbers to win $1 million, according to the Florida Lottery.
Tickets start at $2 apiece. Good luck!
Below are some frequently asked questions about Powerball, Mega Millions and lottery odds.
Long list of past Powerball numbers:No pattern or magic formula, but these oddities caught our eye
How long did it take Powerball to reach $1 billion?
How long does it take a lottery game to reach $1 billion? It varies, based on drawings and winners. For this Powerball drawing, the jackpot rolled over from late April to mid-July. As of Wednesday, July 19, here's a snapshot of recent drawings and how much the jackpot has climbed (in so short a time):
- Wednesday, July 19: $1 billion
- Monday, July 17: $900 million
- Saturday, July 15: $875 million
- Wednesday, July 12: $750 million
- Monday, July 10: $675 million
- Saturday, July 8: $615 million
- Wednesday, July 5: $546 million
- Monday, July 3: $522 million
- Saturday, July 1: $493 million
- Wednesday, June 28: $462 million
- Monday, June 26: $440 million
- Saturday, June 24: $427 million
- Wednesday, June 21: $400 million
- Monday, June 19, Juneteenth: $380 million
- Saturday, June 17: $366 million
- Wednesday, June 14: $340 million
- Monday, June 12: $324 million
- Saturday, June 10: $308 million
- Wednesday, June 7: $285 million
- Monday, June 5: $269 million
- Saturday, June 3: $262 million
- Wednesday, May 31: $239 million
- Monday, May 29, Memorial Day: $226 million
- Saturday, May 27: $211 million
- Wednesday, May 24: $190 million
- Monday, May 22: $179 million
- Saturday, May 20: $162 million
- Wednesday, May 17: $146 million
- Monday, May 15: $135 million
- Saturday, May 13: $125 million
- Wednesday, May 10: $109 million
- Monday, May 8: $97 million
- Saturday, May 6: $87 million
- Wednesday, May 3: $71 million
- Monday, May 1: $60 million
- Saturday, April 29: $51 million
- Wednesday, April 26: $37 million
- Monday, April 24: $28 million
How long will it take for Mega Millions jackpot to reach $1 billion?
That varies. For Powerball, it took less than three months of rollovers for the jackpot to reach $1 billion, the third time in the game's history. Here's a snapshot of recent drawings and how much the Mega Millions jackpot has climbed (in so short a time):
- Friday, July 21: $720 million (as of July 19, 2023)
- Tuesday, July 18: $640 million
- Friday, July 14: $560 million
- Tuesday, July 11: $500 million
- Friday, July 7: $450 million
- Tuesday, July 4: $400 million
- Friday, June 30: $368 million
- Tuesday, June 27: $343 million
- Friday, June 23: $320 million
- Tuesday, June 20: $300 million
- Friday, June 16: $281 million
- Tuesday, June 13: $260 million
- Friday, June 9: $240 million
- Tuesday, June 6: $218 million
- Friday, June 2: $203 million
- Tuesday, May 30: $187 million
- Friday, May 26: $169 million
- Tuesday, May 23: $150 million
- Friday, May 19: $132 million
- Tuesday, May 16: $113 million
- Friday, May 12: $99 million
- Tuesday, May 9: $83 million
- Friday, May 5: $68 million
- Tuesday, May 2: $52 million
- Friday, April 28: $38 million
- Tuesday, April 25: $26 million
- Friday, April 21: $20 million
How much was the Powerball lottery jackpot for Wednesday, July 19?
an estimated $1 billion with a cash option of $516.8 million
How much was the Powerball lottery jackpot for Monday, July 17?
an estimated $900 million with a cash option of $465.1 million
How much was the Powerball lottery jackpot for Saturday, July 15?
an estimated $875 million with a cash option of $452.2 million
Can I buy Florida lottery tickets online?
No. Some states have this option via an app or website, but not the Florida Lottery. Tickets cannot be purchased by mail, fax or online. There are more than 13,000 authorized Florida Lottery retailers here, the site states.
I bought Powerball ticket in another state. Can I cash in my winnings in Florida?
No. Powerball prizes must be claimed in the state where the ticket was purchased, the Florida Lottery says.
I bought a Mega Millions ticket in another state. Can I cash in my winnings in Florida?
No. Mega Millions prizes must be claimed in the state where the ticket was purchased, the Florida Lottery says.
When do Florida lottery tickets expire?
Prizes for Florida Lottery must be claimed within 180 days (six months) from the date of the drawing. To claim a single-payment cash option, a winner has within the first 60 days after the applicable draw date to claim it. Florida Lottery says its scratch-off tickets and Fast Play game prizes "must be claimed within 60 days of the official end-of-game date. Once the applicable time period has elapsed, the related Florida Lottery ticket will expire."
What happens to the unclaimed prize money?
According to the Florida Lottery, state law requires 80% of unclaimed prize funds from expired tickets be transferred to the Educational Enhancement Trust Fund. The remaining 20% is returned to the prize pool for future drawings.
What happens to unclaimed Powerball prize money?
Should a Powerball ticket not be claimed within 180 days of the drawing date, the Florida Lottery site states, "the funds to pay the unclaimed jackpot will be returned to the lottery members in their proportion of sales for the jackpot rollover series." According to Powerball's site, "unclaimed prizes are kept by the lottery jurisdiction. If a Grand Prize goes unclaimed, the money must be returned to all lotteries in proportion to their sales for the draw run. The lotteries then distribute the money, based on their own jurisdiction's laws, to other lottery games or to their jurisdiction's general fund, or otherwise as required by law."
What happens to unclaimed Mega Millions prize money?
Should a Mega Millions ticket not be claimed within 180 days of the drawing date, "the funds to pay the unclaimed jackpot will be returned to the lottery members in their proportion of sales for the jackpot rollover series."
What are the odds of winning Powerball?
Powerball drawings are held at 11 p.m. EDT Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. According toPowerball.com, players have a 1 in 292.2 million chance to match all six numbers. Prizes range from $2 to the grand prize jackpot, which varies.
Are the odds of winning Powerball the same if the jackpot is $1 billion?
Players have a 1 in 24.9 chance of winning a prize,powerball.comstates. Players have a 1 in 292.2 million chance to match all six numbers whether the jackpot is $20 million or $1 billion.
Top 10 lottery jackpots:Powerball, Mega Millions' biggest prizes, Who won and where winning tickets were bought
How long has Powerball rolled over?
This Powerball jackpot has rolled over since April 22. Before that, one ticket purchased in Ohio matched the six numbers to win the Wednesday, April 19, lottery jackpot of $252.6 million, with a cash option of $134.6million. The prize was claimed by the Crazy Luck Trust with John Krajewski as trustee. It was Ohio's fifth-largest jackpot prize, news reports show, and the ticket was purchased at GetGo Cafe and Market in Macedonia, Ohio.
While $252.6 million is a lot of money, the grand prize did not make the Top 10 lottery jackpots for Powerball or Mega Millions (see below).
What are the odds of winning Mega Millions?
According to theMega Millions website, you have a 1 in 302,575,350 chance to match all five white balls plus the gold Mega Ball. Prizes range from $2 (for matching the Mega Ball) to the grand prize jackpot, which varies.
Can Florida lottery winners remain anonymous?
According toFlorida Lottery's website, winners cannot remain anonymous: "Florida law mandates that the Florida Lottery provide records containing information such as the winner's name, city of residence; game won, date won, and amount won to any third party who requests the information."
However, the site states, since May 25, 2022, the "names of lottery winners claiming prizes of $250,000 or greater will be temporarily exempt from public disclosure for 90 days from the date the prize is claimed, unless otherwise waived by the winner."
Lottery experts and lawyers have said there are ways to remain anonymous if you win.
What is the largest lottery jackpot in U.S. history? Who claimed $2.04 billion Powerball prize?
The largest lottery prize ever climbed to $2.04 billion in November. The jackpot was an estimated $1.9 billion days before the drawing, but lottery ticket sales helped it grow to more than $2 billion after updated calculations. A single ticket purchased in California won the grand prize, and the winner was revealed on Valentine's Day − Feb. 14, 2023. Edwin Castro won the largest-ever lottery jackpot, and he opted for a lump sum of $997.6 million, just shy of $1 billion, according to the California Lottery.
One big buy.Record $2 billion Powerball winner bought $25.5 million pad in Hollywood Hills, reports say
When did lotto jackpots hit $1 billion or more?
As of July 19, 2023, there have been seven lottery jackpots that have reached or surpassed $1 billion. Half of the prizes were won (but not necessarily claimed) in January.
- 7. $1 billion, Powerball. Winner TBD, next chance to play is July 19, 2023
- 6.$1.05 billion, Mega Millions, Jan. 22, 2021: A single ticket won in Michigan.
- 5.$1.337 billion, Mega Millions, July 29, 2022: A single ticket won in Illinois.
- 4.$1.35 billion, Jan. 13, 2023: A single ticket was purchased in Maine.
- 3.$1.537 billion, Mega Millions, Oct. 23, 2018: A single ticket won in South Carolina.
- 2.$1.586 billion, Powerball, Jan. 13, 2016: Three tickets won from California, Florida, Tennessee.
- 1.$2.04 billion, Powerball, Nov. 7, 2022: A single ticket won in California.
What are the Top 10 largest Mega Millions jackpots ever?
According to its website, here are the Top 10 Mega Millions jackpots as of July 19, 2023:
- 10.$533 million — March 30, 2018; New Jersey
- 9.$536 million — July 8, 2016; Indiana
- 8.$543 million — July 24, 2018; California
- 7.$648 million — Dec. 17, 2013; California and Georgia
- 6.$656 million — March 30, 2012; Illinois, Kansas and Maryland
- 5. $720 million — Friday, July 21, 2023? TBD
- 4.$1.05 billion — Jan. 22, 2021; Michigan
- 3.$1.337 billion — July 29, 2022; Illinois
- 2.$1.35 billion — Jan. 13, 2023; Maine
- 1.$1.537 billion — Oct. 23, 2018; South Carolina
What are the Top 10 largest Powerball jackpots ever?
Here are the Top 10 Powerball jackpots as of July 19, 2023:
- 10.$632.6 million — Jan. 5, 2022; California and Wisconsin
- 9.$687.8 million — Oct. 27, 2018; Iowa and New York
- 8.$699.8 million — Oct. 4, 2021; California
- 7.$731.1 million — Jan. 20, 2021; Maryland
- 6.$754.6 million — Feb. 6, 2023; Washington
- 5.$758.7 million — Aug. 23, 2017; Massachusetts
- 4.$768.4 million — March 27, 2019; Wisconsin
- 3. $1 billion — July 19, 2023? TBD
- 2.$1.586 billion — Jan. 13, 2016; California, Florida and Tennessee
- 1.$2.04 billion — Nov. 7, 2022; California
What are the Top 10 largest lottery jackpots ever?
The following Mega Millions and Powerball jackpots made the Top 10 biggest lottery jackpots in U.S. history, as of July 18, 2023.
- 10.$754.6 million Powerball drawing — Feb. 6, 2023; Washington
- 9.$758.7 million Powerball drawing — Aug. 23, 2017; Massachusetts
- 8.$768.4 million Powerball drawing — March 27, 2019; Wisconsin
- 7.$1 billion Powerball drawing — July 19, 2023? TBD
- 6.$1.05 billion Mega Millions drawing — Jan. 22, 2021; Michigan
- 5.$1.337 billion Mega Millions drawing — July 29, 2022; Illinois
- 4.$1.35 billion Mega Millions drawing — Jan. 13, 2023; Maine
- 3.$1.537 billion Mega Millions drawing — Oct. 23, 2018; South Carolina
- 2.$1.586 billion Powerball drawing — Jan. 13, 2016; California, Florida and Tennessee
- 1.$2.04 billion Powerball drawing — Nov. 7, 2022; California
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