The Powerball jackpot has surged to a staggering $950 million, marking the sixth-largest prize in the game’s history, after no player matched all the numbers in Wednesday night’s drawing.
The winning numbers — 9, 12, 22, 41, 61, and the red Powerball 25 — offered players a shot at an estimated $861 million, but the elusive jackpot remained untouched, extending a historic three-month drought since the last grand prize was claimed in May.
For Saturday’s drawing, lottery officials project the top prize could soar to nearly a billion dollars, with a cash option of $428.9 million. The figure has fueled a surge of ticket sales across the country, with long lines forming at convenience stores and gas stations as hopeful players chase life-changing fortunes.
Small Wins Amid the Drought
While no one claimed the top prize, several players still walked away with hefty payouts.
- Three tickets — sold in Mississippi, Ohio, and Virginia — each netted $2 million with the Match 5 + Power Play option.
- Another three tickets — purchased in Arizona, New York, and Virginia — matched all five white balls for $1 million apiece.
In New York, the million-dollar ticket was sold at Crosby’s convenience store in Lakewood, not far from Lake Erie. It marked the state’s third seven-figure win in a week, following Francis Cangemi of East Northport, who recently claimed a $1,000,000 Gold scratch-off prize, opting for a $670,000 lump sum.
A Growing Frenzy
The jackpot has not been hit since May 31, when a California ticket scooped up $204.5 million. Since then, the prize has snowballed week after week, sparking what some observers call “jackpot fever.”
In Miami, where ticket sales have been brisk, cashiers report customers buying stacks of tickets at once. “Everyone wants a shot,” one store worker said. “It’s all people talk about when they walk in.”
The Odds
Despite the frenzy, the odds of winning the jackpot remain daunting — just 1 in 292.2 million. Still, for millions of Americans, the hope of becoming an overnight billionaire outweighs the math.
“This is the kind of jackpot that gets even casual players involved,” said a lottery analyst. “When the prize approaches a billion dollars, people start to dream big.”
What’s Next
The next drawing will be held Saturday night, when all eyes will be on the Powerball machine once again. If the drought continues, the jackpot could edge even closer to the record-setting $2.04 billion prize won in California in November 2022.
Until then, hopeful players across the nation will clutch their tickets, wondering if luck will finally break the streak — and whether they could become the next instant multimillionaire.