The Powerball jackpot has ballooned to an estimated $1.4 billion after no ticket matched all six numbers during Monday’s(September 1) Labor Day drawing, making Wednesday night’s prize the fourth-largest Powerball jackpot ever and the sixth-largest lottery jackpot in US history. The lump-sum cash option stands at about $634.3 million before taxes, according to Powerball officials.

The jackpot has been rolling over for more than three months, with 41 consecutive drawings since the last jackpot was hit on May 31 in California.

"We get a lot of winners," said Patel on the US Today website, who owns another Speedy Mart in Audubon, a few miles away. "I sold a $200,000 scratch-off not long ago." While he wasn't sure what his share would be for selling a ticket worth more than a billion bucks, he smiled just thinking about it.


In Hampton, Virginia, a landmark beachside grocery store was buzzing after a $2 million Powerball ticket was sold on August 30. Although the winner had not yet come forward, the store's owner said that hadn't stopped customers from hoping there was another fortune to be found at Patriot's Corner.

The odds are astronomical

The odds of winning the jackpot remain 1 in 292.2 million. While millions of Americans are buying tickets with dreams of instant wealth, statisticians stress that those chances are slimmer than being struck by lightning multiple times.

Still, the lure of life-changing money continues to fuel long lines at convenience stores across the country.

Strategies and superstitions

Some players rely on birthdays and family anniversaries, others on so-called lucky numbers. A Cambridge University study found that players often pick numbers that carry personal meaning or appear visually appealing on a lottery sheet, but experts note these patterns don’t improve the odds; they just make it more likely winners will have to split the prize if those numbers are common.

Quick Pick tickets, which let the machine choose at random, are statistically no better or worse, but they do avoid clustering around popular dates and numbers.

What happens if you win

Winners must choose between a 30-year annuity or a one-time lump sum. The annuity starts with an immediate payout and rises 5 percent annually; the lump-sum payout is currently valued at about $634 million. Either way, the IRS takes an immediate 24 percent cut, and the final federal tax bill can climb as high as 37 percent, with state taxes varying widely.

When and where to watch

The next drawing takes place on Wednesday at 10:59 pm ET in Tallahassee, Florida. Tickets are $2 and sales cut off one to two hours before the drawing in most states. The drawing will be broadcast live and streamed on Powerball’s website and YouTube channel.

FAQs

How do you play Powerball?

• A ticket costs $2 per play.
  
• Players pick five numbers from 1 to 69 (the white balls) and one number from 1 to 26 (the red Powerball).
  
• You can choose your own numbers or let the machine randomly generate them with a Quick Pick.
  

Where can you buy a Powerball ticket?

• Tickets are sold in 45 states, plus Washington, DC, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands.
  
• Tickets are not sold in Alaska, Hawaii, Nevada, Utah, or Alabama.
  
• Many states also allow online ticket sales or subscriptions through their official lottery websites.
  

When is the next drawing?

• Drawings happen every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday at 10:59 pm ET.
  
• The next drawing for the estimated $1.4 billion jackpot is Wednesday, September 3, 2025.
  
• Ticket sales close 1-2 hours before the drawing in most states (check local rules)