The odds of winning Powerball and Mega Millions are not in your favor
The odds of winning the jackpot with Mega Millions or Powerball are approximately 1 in 292 million. Here, we will introduce things that are more likely to be obtained than large sums of money.
A lucky lottery player who won a huge $1.817 billion Powerball jackpot on Christmas Eve received his prize nearly a month later.
On Thursday, January 22nd, Powerball announced that the winner had come forward to claim the prize. Lottery participants chose to remain anonymous.
“Everyone has been anxiously waiting for the winners to come forward, and we’re glad they took the time to seek legal and financial advice first, as we recommended,” said Sharon Strong, executive director of the Arkansas Scholarship Lottery, in a statement. “We’re thrilled that the winner is from Arkansas!”
Powerball said jackpot winners had the option of receiving an annuitized payout or a lump sum of $834.9 million. They opted for a one-time payment.
Here’s what you need to know about Victory.
Where were the tickets sold?
The ticket was sold at a Murphy USA gas station in Cabot, Arkansas, about 25 miles (40 kilometers) northeast of Little Rock, Powerball reported. The store also received $50,000 in fees for selling the winning ticket.
The jackpot was the second-largest prize in U.S. and Powerball history.
This is only the second time in the game’s history that a ticket sold in Arkansas won the jackpot. The first time was in 2010.
Can Arkansas Lottery Winners Stay Anonymous?
Yes, according to Arkansas law. If you win more than $500,000 in the lottery, you can choose to remain anonymous.
But winners can’t remain anonymous forever.
After three years, the name of the person who claimed the jackpot becomes public information. This law was enacted in 2021.
Top 10 Powerball Jackpots
- $2.04 billion in California on November 7, 2022
- December 24, 2025, $1.817 billion in Arkansas.
- $1.787 billion in Missouri and Texas on September 6, 2025
- $1.765 billion in California on October 11, 2023
- January 13, 2016, $1.586 billion in California, Florida, and Tennessee
- April 6, 2024, $1.326 billion in Oregon.
- $1.08 billion in California on July 19, 2023
- January 1, 2024, $842.4 million in Michigan.
- March 27, 2019, $768.4 million in Wisconsin
- August 23, 2017, $758.7 million in Massachusetts
How to play Powerball
Powerball tickets cost $2 per play and are sold in 45 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. This can be done at a variety of locations, including local convenience stores, gas stations, and grocery stores. In some states, you can buy Powerball tickets online depending on your local government.
Once you have your ticket, you have to choose six numbers. Five of them are white balls numbered from 1 to 69. The red Powerball range is 1-26. You can also add a “Power Play” for $1, which increases your winnings on all non-jackpot prizes. “Power Play” multipliers allow you to increase your winnings by 2x, 3x, 4x, 5x, or 10x.
If you want the computer to pick the numbers for you, you can use the “Quick Pick” option. To win the jackpot, players must match all five white balls with the red Powerball in any order.
Powerball drawings are held on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays. If no one wins the jackpot, the prize continues to rise.
Winning Lottery Numbers is sponsored by Jackpocket, the official digital lottery delivery company of the USA TODAY Network.
Do I have to be a US citizen or resident to play Powerball?
The short answer is no. You do not need to be a US citizen or resident to play Powerball. Anyone visiting any of the 45 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, or the U.S. Virgin Islands may purchase lottery tickets from authorized and licensed retailers, regardless of nationality, as long as they meet the legal age requirements (usually 18 years old) at the time of purchase.
Can I get Powerball tickets online?
You can also order tickets online Jackpocket, USA TODAY Network’s official digital lottery delivery companythe following states and territories of the United States: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Washington DC, and West Virginia.
The Jackpocket app allows you to choose your lottery games and numbers, place your order, check your tickets, and claim your winnings, all using your phone or home computer.
Jackpocket is the official digital lottery carrier of USA TODAY Network. Gannett may earn revenue from viewer referrals to the Jackpocket Service. Must be 18 years or older, 21 years or older in Arizona, 19 years or older in Nebraska. Not affiliated with any state lottery. Gambling problem? Call 1-877-8-HOPE-NY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY). 1-800-327-5050 (MA); 1-877-MYLIMIT (OR); 1-800-981-0023 (PR); 1-800-GAMBLER (ALL OTHERS). visit jackpocket.com/tos Over the entire period.
Julia Gomez is USA TODAY’s trends reporter, covering popular toys, scientific research, natural disasters and trending news. Connect with her on LinkedIn ×Instagram, TikTok: @juliamaigz or email jgomez@hannett.com..
Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Contact us at fernando.cervantes@gannett.com and follow us at X @fern_cerv_.
