$600 million for Christmas? Powerball jackpot grows ahead of Dec. 25 drawing

Lottery players were hoping for an early Christmas present from Saturday night's Powerball drawing.

WASHINGTON — Powerball lottery players didn’t get an early Christmas jackpot surprise this year as no one won the game’s top prize in Saturday night’s drawing. Though three people are celebrating the holiday weekend as millionaires.

The winning numbers for Saturday’s $626 million jackpot were 9-14-17-18-53 and Powerball 6. The Power Play was 3x. The cash option, which most winners choose, was $315.3 million.

With nobody winning the grand prize that means the jackpot for Powerball’s Christmas Day drawing has grown to an estimated $638 million, with a cash option of $321.1 million.

The lottery game hasn’t seen a jackpot winner since Oct. 11, when a single ticket in California took home the $1.76 billion prize.

While no one hit the Powerball jackpot on Saturday, there are a number of new millionaires.

Tickets in Arizona and Missouri won $1 million dollars for matching all five regular numbers. Another winner in New England selected the more expensive Power Play option, meaning they’ll take home $2 million.

The prize is currently the fourth Powerball jackpot to topple the half-a-billion dollar mark this year.

What were the winning Powerball numbers for Saturday, December 23, 2023?

The winning numbers are 9-14-17-18-53 and Powerball 6, Power Play 3.

If a winner matches all five numbers and the Powerball, they have the option to take the full jackpot paid out over 30 years, or a smaller cash payout. Winners almost always take the cash option, which for Monday is an estimated $321.1 million.

The streak without a jackpot winner is due to the game’s long odds, 1 in 292.2 million, that are designed to make winning rare so grand prizes can grow large.

Even with the smaller lump sum payout, federal taxes will eat into those winnings, and some states also tax big lottery prizes. Powerball is played in 45 states, as well as Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

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.”

What are the largest Powerball jackpots?

1. $2.04 Billion – Nov. 7, 2022 – CA
2. $1.76 Billion – Oct. 11, 2023
3. $1.586 Billion – Jan. 13, 2016 – CA, FL, TN
4. $1.08 Billion – July 19, 2023 – CA
5. $768.4 Million – March 27, 2019 – WI
6. $758.7 Million – Aug. 23, 2017 – MA
7. $754.6 Million – Feb. 6, 2023 – WA
8. $731.1 Million – Jan. 20, 2021 – MD
9. $699.8 Million – Oct. 4, 2021 – CA
10. $687.8 Million – Oct. 27, 2018 – IA, NY

What are the largest US lottery jackpots ever won?

1. $2.04 billion: Powerball – Nov. 7, 2022 – CA
2. $1.76 Billion – Oct. 11, 2023
3. $1.586 billion: Powerball – Jan. 13, 2016 – CA, FL, TN
4. $1.58 billion: Mega Millions – Aug. 8, 2023 – FL
5. $1.537 billion: Mega Millions – Oct. 23, 2018 – SC
6. $1.35 billion: Mega Millions – Jan. 13, 2023 – ME
7. $1.337 billion: Mega Millions – July 29, 2022 – IL
8. $1.08 billion: Powerball – July 19, 2023 – CA
9. $1.05 billion: Mega Millions – Jan. 22, 2021 – MI
10. $768.4 million – March 27, 2019 – WI