Powerball Jackpot Climbs to $750 Million
The Powerball jackpot has surged to an estimated $750 million for Monday night’s drawing, making it the 10th-largest prize in the game’s history after no ticket matched all six winning numbers on Saturday.
The prize now carries a cash value of $338.6 million before taxes. The jackpot has been rolling over since May 31, when a California player claimed the grand prize. Since then, 37 consecutive drawings have gone without a jackpot winner.
Big Wins Along the Way
Although no one secured Saturday’s grand prize, the drawing still created several millionaires. Two tickets sold in Maine and New York matched all five white balls, winning $1 million each. A South Dakota ticket that included the Power Play option doubled its five-number win to $2 million.
Saturday’s winning numbers were 11, 14, 34, 47, 51, and the red Powerball 18.
“The excitement of playing for a colossal Powerball jackpot is back!” said Matt Strawn, Powerball product group chair and Iowa Lottery CEO, in a statement.
Historic Jackpots
At $750 million, the current prize joins a list of record-setting jackpots that have made headlines worldwide. Powerball’s largest payout to date remains the staggering $2.04 billion prize won in California in November 2022. Other historic wins include a $1.765 billion jackpot claimed in California in October 2023, a $1.586 billion jackpot split between winners in California, Florida, and Tennessee in January 2016, and a $1.326 billion prize won in Oregon in April 2024.
Only nine jackpots in Powerball’s history have exceeded the prize up for grabs this week.
How to Play Powerball
Players can purchase $2 tickets in 45 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Each ticket requires players to match numbers on five white balls plus the red Powerball to claim the jackpot. The odds of winning the grand prize are steep—just 1 in 292.2 million.
Powerball drawings are held three times a week, every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday at 10:59 p.m. ET. Ticket sales close about an hour before the drawing.
Choosing Numbers: Luck or Strategy?
While the odds are daunting, millions of Americans still line up to buy tickets when the jackpot soars. Many players use birthdays, anniversaries, or other personal dates to pick numbers, while others opt for Quick Picks, which generate random selections.
According to Powerball data, the most frequently drawn numbers over the past decade include 61, 21, 23, 33, 69, and 63, while the least common are 13, 49, 26, 46, 76, and 51. The most frequently drawn Powerball numbers include 4, 21, 24, 18, 14, and 25.
Some players prefer to chase “overdue” numbers—those that haven’t been drawn in months. Currently, main numbers 22 and 26 are among the most overdue, while Powerball 16 hasn’t appeared since November 2024.
Still, lottery experts note that all numbers technically carry the same odds of being drawn. Roughly 70–80% of players use Quick Picks, and about the same percentage of winners come from them.
The Allure of the Jackpot
Even with astronomical odds, the chance to win life-changing money keeps millions of people buying tickets. For many, playing Powerball isn’t just about the payout—it’s about the thrill of possibility.
As Monday’s drawing approaches, excitement continues to build. Whether players stick to birthdays, chase overdue numbers, or let the machine decide for them, one fact remains: you can’t win if you don’t play.
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