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After going more than 17 months without a billion-dollar winner, Powerball is experiencing an unusual run of record-setting jackpots in a short period. Ahead of Wednesday night’s drawing, the jackpot has climbed to $1.25 billion. With the holiday season upon us, many players may be tempted to end the year with a massive win.
Powerball breaks 17-month drought with billion-dollar win
After a prolonged pause, the Powerball jackpot climbed to $1.787 billion in September 2025. The prize became the second-largest in lottery history, surpassing the $1.765 billion mark set Oct. 11, 2023. Two tickets sold in Missouri and Texas won the jackpot, with each winner receiving half of the $1.787 billion prize.
A few weeks later, Mega Millions rose to nearly $1 billion in November. Together, these developments renewed public interest in lottery games and injected new energy after months of smaller jackpot wins.
Commenting on the significance of both milestones, Jackpot.com CEO Akshay Khanna said billion-dollar jackpots are rare, making multiple runs within a short time frame especially notable.
“After a long period without a prize of this scale, players are clearly motivated by the opportunity to take part in these historic moments, and our responsibility is to make participation straightforward, safe and responsible,” Khanna said.
No jackpot winner Monday, pushing Powerball higher
Monday night’s Powerball drawing marked the 43rd draw in the current jackpot cycle. The evening began with the jackpot set at $1.1 billion, with an estimated cash value of $503.4 million. At the time, the prize ranked as the sixth-largest in Powerball history. No winning ticket was sold, however, pushing the jackpot to $1.25 billion ahead of Wednesday night’s drawing.
The numbers drawn were white balls 23, 35, 59, 63 and 68, with the red Powerball number 2. The Power Play multiplier was 4.
While there was no jackpot winner, two tickets sold in Arizona and California matched all five white balls to claim $1 million prizes. The drawing also produced 43 tickets that won $50,000 and 14 tickets that won $200,000.
Wednesday’s drawing offers a shot at $1.25 billion
Following September’s record $1.787 billion Powerball run, the lottery has now reached another $1.25 billion prize. The milestone marks only the second time in Powerball history that consecutive jackpots have exceeded $1 billion.
Commenting on the development, Iowa Lottery CEO and Powerball Product Group Chair Matt Strawn said Powerball has reached back-to-back billion-dollar jackpots only twice, adding that the latest run arrives just in time for the holidays.
Strawn also emphasized responsible participation, noting that while the jackpot total is notable, players should keep their spending in check. He added that purchasing a single $2 ticket offers a chance to win while also supporting charitable efforts in local communities.
Jackpocket reports sharp increases in Powerball sales
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Excitement is building heading into Wednesday’s drawing, with players rushing to buy tickets before the deadline. Jackpocket, a popular lottery app, has seen ticket sales climb steadily since the current Powerball run began Sept. 8. Each time the jackpot grows, more people jump in hoping to win big.
The platform expects ticket purchases to exceed last Wednesday’s total by more than 50% ahead of Wednesday night’s drawing. Most orders are coming from Jackpocket users in Arizona, Colorado, Massachusetts, New York and New Jersey. Customers typically place orders in the evening leading up to the 10 p.m. drawing.
Despite increased ticket purchases in those states, there is no guarantee a winning ticket will come from any of them. The overall odds of winning any prize are 1 in 24.9, while the odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 292.2 million.
If no winner emerges Wednesday, Powerball will move to its 45th drawing of the current jackpot run on Saturday night, featuring an even larger prize.
