WASHINGTON — America once again has a billion-dollar lottery jackpot on the line.
Nobody claimed the grand prize for Monday's $900 million drawing. By the time the drawing took place, the host said the estimated jackpot had risen even higher to $922 million.
Wednesday's jackpot is currently estimated at $1 billion, but that could rise as ticket sales surge.
Even though nobody beat the astronomical odds, quite a few people came very close. Eight tickets matched all five white balls but not the Powerball for at least a $1 million win. Five tickets sold in Connecticut, Florida, Kentucky, New York and Pennsylvania won $1 million, and three tickets sold in Arkansas, Georgia and Texas win $2 million with the optional multiplier bonus.
Monday's prize ranked as the game's third largest prize and the seventh largest in U.S. lottery history, only behind the world record $2.04 billion Powerball jackpot won last year and the $1.586 billion Powerball jackpot won in 2016.
Powerball is one of two lottery games with a hefty grand prize that's been building for months. Tuesday's Mega Millions jackpot is up to $640 million. The last Mega Millions jackpot was won on April 18, and Powerball hasn't seen a grand prize winner since April 19.
Jackpot winners have the option to be paid out the full amount over 29 years, or choose the smaller cash option.
What were the winning Powerball numbers for 7/17/23?
The winning numbers were 5-8-9-17-41, Powerball 21 and Powerplay 4X.
When is the Powerball drawing?
The Powerball drawing takes place live at 10:59 p.m. Eastern every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday. Tickets, which cost $2 per play, are sold in 45 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
What are my chances of winning the Powerball?
The odds of winning the Powerball jackpot are one in 292.2 million.
Over the past few years, huge lottery jackpots have become more common as lottery officials have changed the rules and ticket prices to boost top prizes.
Powerball's biggest change came in 2021 when officials decided to add a Monday drawing to its weekly lineup of Wednesday and Saturday evening drawings. At the time of the announcement, Powerball proclaimed the addition of the Monday drawing would lead to "larger, faster-growing jackpots."
Powerball is played in 45 states, as well as Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
What are the largest Powerball jackpots?
- $2.04 Billion – Nov. 7, 2022 – CA
- $1.586 Billion – Jan. 13, 2016 – CA, FL, TN
- $900 million (est.) - July 17, 2023
- $768.4 Million – March 27, 2019 – WI
- $758.7 Million – Aug. 23, 2017 – MA
- $754.6 Million – Feb. 6, 2023 - WA
- $731.1 Million – Jan. 20, 2021 – MD
- $699.8 Million – Oct. 4, 2021 – CA
- $687.8 Million – Oct. 27, 2018 – IA, NY
- $632.6 Million – Jan. 5, 2022 – CA, WI
What are the largest US lottery jackpots ever won?
- $2.04 billion, Powerball, Nov. 8, 2022 (one ticket, from California)
- $1.586 billion, Powerball, Jan. 13, 2016 (three tickets, from California, Florida, Tennessee)
- $1.537 billion, Mega Millions, Oct. 23, 2018 (one ticket, from South Carolina)
- $1.35 billion Mega Millions, Jan. 13, 2023 (one ticket, from Maine)
- $1.337 billion, Mega Millions, July 29, 2022 (one ticket, from Illinois)
- $1.05 billion, Mega Millions, Jan. 22, 2021 (one ticket, from Michigan)
- $768.4 million, Powerball, March 27, 2019 (one ticket, from Wisconsin)
- $758.7 million, Powerball, Aug. 23, 2017 (one ticket, from Massachusetts)
- $731.1 million, Powerball, Jan. 20, 2021 (one ticket, from Maryland)
- $699.8 million, Powerball, Oct. 4, 2021 (one ticket, from California)