After months without a grand prize winner, a staggering $1.25 billion is now up for grabs ahead of Wednesday's Powerball drawing, making it the second-largest jackpot of the year.
Two lucky winners in St. Louis, Missouri, and Fredericksburg, Texas, previously scored the massive jackpot on Sept. 6, splitting almost $1.8 billion in winnings. However, since both players opted for the cash value option, they each received a one-time payment of about $410.3 million before taxes.
The upcoming Dec. 17 lottery will mark the 44th in the current run. The most recent drawing, held on Dec. 15, produced the winning numbers of 23, 35, 59, 63, 68, and red Powerball 2.
Although no one took home the jackpot—valued at an estimated $1.15 billion with a cash value of $524.7 million—two tickets sold in Arizona and California did match all five white balls, winning $1 million each.
Additionally, 43 tickets won $50,000 for matching four white balls and the red Powerball. Fourteen tickets also scored $200,000 with the 4X Power Play, a purchased add-on that can multiply non-jackpot winnings.
Approximately $1 billion was up for grabs during the Dec. 13 drawing. Five tickets sold in California, Florida, Michigan, New Jersey, and Virginia won $1 million prizes and two tickets sold in North Carolina and Pennsylvania won $2 million with the 2X Power Play. Among the smaller prize wins, 49 tickets won $50,000 each, and 12 scored $100,000.
With Christmas right around the corner, Powerball noted that Wednesday's drawing gives players "another chance to dream big this holiday season."
"While it’s exciting to see the jackpot climb to this level, please remember to play responsibly. A single $2 ticket gives you a chance to win, while also supporting good causes in your community."
Powerball previously produced consecutive billion-dollar jackpots in 2023, when players in California scored $1.08 billion on July 19 and $1.765 billion on Oct. 11, marking the seventh- and third-largest winnings in Powerball history.
A ticket in California won the largest jackpot to date, scoring $2.04 billion on Nov. 7, 2022.
Powerball drawings are broadcast live on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays at 10:59 p.m. ET from the Florida Lottery headquarters in Tallahassee, Florida.
The odds of winning the Powerball jackpot are about 1 in 292.2 million, while the chances of winning any prize are roughly 1 in 24.9.
If a player does manage to win the Dec. 17 jackpot, they will have the option of receiving an annuitized prize, which includes one immediate payment followed by 29 annual payments totaling an estimated $1.25 billion, or a lump sum payment of $572.1 million before taxes.