The Powerball jackpot has reached its largest total of the year at $856 million, drawing attention from many who play primarily when jackpots soar to record levels. Saturday night’s drawing will tempt those seeking the massive prize, though the lump sum option before taxes stands at $370.7 million.
This jackpot is the eighth largest in Powerball’s history and needs to surpass the $1 billion milestone to climb higher in the rankings. When considering Mega Millions jackpots, it measures as the 16th largest in U.S. lottery history.
Stephen Durrell, Powerball Product Group chair and Kansas Lottery executive director, remarked on the trend where larger jackpots bring more participants into the game. A past instance of this was the immense $2.04 billion jackpot in November 2022, which remains the largest lottery jackpot ever. However, the lump sum from that win was still under $1 billion at $997.6 million.
This drawing introduces a new element, as it is the first time the Powerball jackpot includes participants from the United Kingdom. Tickets became available in the U.K. on July 21, potentially accelerating jackpot growth if there is no immediate winner.
The jackpot was last claimed on May 2, and since then, 41 drawings have occurred without a winner. There have been smaller successes, such as a recent $1 million win in Ohio for matching five white balls in Wednesday’s draw.
The drawing will happen on Saturday at 10:59 p.m. ET. The odds to win the top prize are 1 in 292.2 million, making it a significant challenge for participants.
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