Powerball Jackpot Soars Towards $1 Billion Mark
It has been less than three weeks since the Powerball jackpot crossed the $500 million barrier, but already it is approaching $1 billion as fans of the game rush out to buy tickets in a bid to join the ranks of the biggest winners of all time.
The Powerball jackpot was last won on the final day of May, when a single ticket holder from California pocketed $204.5 million. It built steadily over the next couple of months, and ticket sales have exploded since the opportunity to land $502 million came and went on August 11.
It is now set to jump up from the $861 million offered on Wednesday, August 27, to an estimated $950 million on Saturday night. That figure puts it as the sixth-largest Powerball jackpot in history.
The last time the jackpot was worth 10 figures was back in the spring of 2024. It eventually reached $1.32 billion before being won by Cheng ‘Charlie’ Saephan from Portland in Oregon. He shared the money with wife Duanpen and friend Laiza Chao, taking the cash option of $422.3 million after taxes.
Go to the Powerball Winners page to find out more about Saephan’s story, as well as the rest of the all-time top 10. The biggest of the lot came back in November 2022 and was worth $2.04 billion. That’s more than twice the value of the current jackpot, but at the rate it is accelerating at the moment it might only take a few more draws to get close.
How to Play for the Big Jackpot
To play Powerball, you have to choose five numbers between 1 and 69, plus a Powerball number from a separate set of 1 to 26. If available in your state, you can add the Power Play or Double Play options to boost the value of non-jackpot prizes, or improve your odds of winning a prize. Think about how many draws you want to play, then purchase your tickets before the cut-off time.
Tickets are sold in 45 states, plus the jurisdictions of Washington D.C., the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. In most locations you’ll have to visit a retailer to fill out a playslip, but there are a growing number of states where you can take part online.
One way to play is to order tickets online through a lottery courier service. This allows you to choose your numbers from the comfort of your home, then someone from the courier company will buy the tickets on your behalf.
You’ll be able to see a digital copy in your account as proof of purchase, and most prizes will be paid automatically so you don’t even need to check the results. Even if you win a major payout, your ticket will be delivered securely so you can claim from your state lottery. Jackpot.com is one courier service, and you can order Powerball tickets online in Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York and Ohio.
Make sure you don’t miss out on the chance to play for one of Powerball’s biggest jackpots, then keep an eye out for the winning numbers as soon as they are published after the draw. Will someone win this time or will the jackpot keep rolling?
Page Last Updated: 8/28/2025 5:01:25 AM ET
