News writer, Interviewer
The Powerball jackpot has exploded to $850 million for Wednesday's drawing, which makes this the sixth-largest prize in game history. The cash value sits at $383.7 million. Both figures are before taxes.
No jackpot winner, but millions still made
Monday's August 25 Powerball drawing produced no jackpot winner. But two players walked away millionaires.
Georgia scored one $1 million winner. A Covington resident bought the winning ticket through the Georgia Lottery mobile app. The ticket matched all five white balls. Texas also produced a $1 million winner.
Beyond the millionaires, 26 tickets won $50,000 prizes. Five tickets claimed $150,000 prizes.
The Double Play drawing added another winner. A Maryland ticket matched all five black balls for $500,000. Double Play costs an extra $1 and offers prizes up to $10 million in a separate drawing.
What happens next?
Wednesday's drawing marks the 38th attempt since California last won on May 31, 2025.
The winner faces two choices:
- Take the $850 million annuity paid over 30 years.
- Grab the $383.7 million lump sum.
The annuity option delivers one immediate payment. Then 29 annual payments follow, each increasing 5% yearly.
Where does this jackpot rank?
At $850 million, Wednesday's prize sits comfortably in Powerball's top tier. Only five jackpots in game history have climbed higher.
The record remains $2.04 billion from November 2022. That California winner chose the lump sum and walked away with $997.6 million before taxes.
Will this current run challenge that record? If no one wins on Wednesday, the jackpot will likely cross the $1 billion mark for Saturday's drawing.
How many millionaires has this run created?
This jackpot streak has been generous to near-winners. Since the last jackpot winner on May 31, the drawings have created 42 new millionaires.
August alone has produced 19 millionaires across nine drawings. That includes one $2 million Power Play winner from Tennessee. July delivered 17 millionaires. The standout was July 9, which created eight millionaires in a single drawing. June added six more millionaires to the tally.
That's 42 lives changed while chasing the big prize.
When is the next drawing?
The next drawing will be on Wednesday, August 27, at 10:59 p.m. ET.
Want to win the jackpot? Your odds are 1 in 292.2 million. But your chances of winning something are much better at 1 in 24.9. Powerball tickets cost $2. Add Power Play for $1 more to multiply non-jackpot prizes.
Will Wednesday finally crown a new jackpot winner? Or will this streak push toward the billion-dollar mark?
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