Powerball jackpot soars to $1 billion ahead of holidays as next drawing nears

The Powerball jackpot has breached the $1 billion, the second time in a year it, according to Powerball’s website. This spike was the result of no one winning the ultimate jackpot on Wednesday, Dec. 10, naturally adding the money at stake to the next bets. If a person wins the jackpot now, they can choose a one-time cash payout of $461.3 million.

Powerball has truly powered in 2025, with the jackpot reaching the highs of $1.787 billion in September, which is the second-highest ever in the game’s history, as reported by USA Today. People are excited because this huge prize is coming right before the holidays, giving players hope for a big win.

How to buy and Play Powerball

A Powerball ticket costs $2, and people can buy it from convenience stores, gas stations, and grocery stores. Some states also allow people to buy Powerball tickets online, according to Powerball rules. After buying a ticket, players must choose six numbers — five white balls (1–69) and one red Powerball (1–26).


Players can add “Power Play” for $1, which increases non-jackpot winnings by 2X, 3X, 4X, 5X, or 10X. If players don’t want to pick numbers themselves, they can use “Quick Pick”, where a computer chooses random numbers. To win the jackpot, players must match all five white balls in any order + the red Powerball. Powerball drawings happen every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday night. If nobody wins on those nights, the jackpot keeps increasing.

Next Powerball Drawing

The next drawing is on Saturday, Dec. 13, just after 11 p.m. ET, according to the report by USA Today.

Top 10 Powerball Jackpots

• $2.04 Billion — Won on Nov. 7, 2022, in California.
• $1.787 Billion — Won on Sept. 6, 2025, in Montana and Texas.
• $1.765 Billion — Won on Oct. 11, 2023, in California.
• $1.586 Billion — Won on Jan. 13, 2016, in California, Florida, Tennessee.
• $1.326 Billion — Won on April 6, 2024, in Oregon.
• $1.08 Billion — Won on July 19, 2023, in California.
• $1 Billion — No winner yet (current jackpot).
• $842.4 Million — Won on Jan. 1, 2024, in Michigan.
• $768.4 Million — Won on March 27, 2019, in Wisconsin.
• $758.7 Million — Won on Aug. 23, 2017, in Massachusetts.

Where to buy lottery tickets

You can buy lottery tickets at gas stations, small shops, grocery stores, and even some airports, lottery officials said. You can also buy tickets online using Jackpocket. It is the official online lottery service for the USA TODAY Network.

Jackpocket works in these places: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Washington D.C., and West Virginia. With the Jackpocket app, you can choose your numbers, order tickets, see your tickets, and get your winnings on your phone or computer.

FAQs

Q1. When is the next Powerball drawing?

The next Powerball drawing is on Saturday, Dec. 13, just after 11 p.m. ET.

Q2. How much is the current Powerball jackpot?

The current Powerball jackpot is estimated at $1 billion.