Mega Millions and Powerball Jackpots Climb Towards Record Levels
Thursday July 13th 2023After three months without a winner, both the Powerball and Mega Millions jackpots are climbing towards record territory, combining for a total of almost $1.5 billion. Find out more about the gigantic prizes.
Powerball Pushes Close To $1 Billion
The Powerball jackpot, last won on April 19 by a player from Ohio, is now worth an estimated $875 million for Saturday night after the latest drawing passed on Wednesday with nobody matching all the numbers.
A late rush for tickets across the participating states pushed the jackpot for Wednesday up from $680 million in the previous draw, and more than 1.8 million players were rewarded with payouts across the eight other prize categories.
Two ticket holders - one from Florida and one from Indiana - landed $1 million each after they matched all five white balls but missed out on the Powerball. See all the draw details.
The grand prize is now the third-largest in Powerball history, and it could quickly move towards the top two on the list if there are strong sales and another draw goes by without a winner.
There have only been two previous occasions when the Powerball jackpot has gone beyond the $1 billion mark. It first happened back in January 2016 when three players split $1.58 billion, and it happened again last November when a new record was set. In the end, a single Californian player, Edwin Castro, claimed more than $2 billion.
Mega Millions Jackpot Into Top Ten
The Mega Millions jackpot is also into the top ten of all time, having grown steadily since it was last won on April 18.
With just two draws a week - Powerball has three - the Mega Millions jackpot has not quite kept pace with its fellow multi-state lottery, but it is already up to $560 million for Friday evening.
The cash option is $281.1 million. Anyone who wins can decide whether to accept the full $560 million as an annuity over 29 years, or take the lump sum. Both options are also subject to tax.
It is still some way off reaching the current Mega Millions record, which stands at $1.53 billion and was set back in October 2018 when an anonymous player from South Carolina pocketed a jackpot all on their own. However, it may only take a few more draws to threaten the record.
Don’t Miss Out
Mega Millions draws take place every Tuesday and Friday, with Powerball held on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. That makes five nights a week when you have a chance to play for one of the biggest jackpots ever seen anywhere in the world.
Make sure not to miss out on the opportunity to take part, then use the Powerball Checker and the Mega Millions Checker to find out if you are a winner after every draw.
Latest News