The multi-state Powerball lottery game’s jackpot increased to an astounding $1.4 billion on Wednesday since there was no jackpot winner in the 33rd straight drawing.
For the following drawing on October 7, the winner can choose to receive a lump-sum payout of $643.7 million in cash, or more than $500 million. The Powerball prize from Saturday is now the third-largest in history and the fifth-largest in American history.
Four lottery jackpots have now crossed the $1 billion barrier in 2023, including two Mega Millions and two Powerball jackpots.
“This marks the first time in Powerball game history that back-to-back jackpot cycles have generated billion-dollar grand prizes,” Lottery Executive Director Eric Hagler said in a press release. “The Powerball jackpot was previously won on July 19 for $1.08 billion. Since then, there have been 32 consecutive drawings without a grand prize winner.”
According to a recent survey, the availability of online ticket sales and the addition of an extra day have likely contributed to the Powerball and Mega Millions jackpots recently surpassing records.
The winning numbers for the drawing on October 4th, which had a $1.2 billion grand prize, were 9, 35, 54, 63, and 64. The winning Powerball number was 1, while the winning Power Play number was 2. Someone would have become a millionaire with these figures.
The winning numbers in Wednesday’s Double Play drawing were 12, 30, 39, 64, 67, and Powerball 22. Play Double Play for extra money and a chance to win up to $10 million in 14 states for just $1 for each play.
Sadly, no one hit the large prize, but ten players on Wednesday each won $1 million for matching the first five numbers. Two of the winners, who each receive a sum of $1,220,123, are from California.
For an additional $1 per play, three second-place tickets were bought using the Power Play feature, boosting their payouts to $2 million. Three of the tickets were sold: one each in Kentucky, Pennsylvania, and Texas.
94 tickets also won cash in the Wednesday drawing by matching the Powerball and four white numbers, each taking home $50,000. 13 players out of the 94 ticket holders selected the Power Play option, doubling their winnings to $100,000 each.
Additionally, 14 of the winning tickets were purchased in California, where the draw’s $17,500 prize was given out.
According to lottery officials, following Wednesday’s drawing, the anticipated Powerball jackpot was raised to $1.4 billion on an annuity basis, with a cash value of $868 million.
