The Powerball jackpot for the upcoming Saturday night draw has reached a substantial $856 million. This marks the largest total for the year. Those opting for a lump sum payout will receive $370.7 million before taxes.
This jackpot is the eighth-largest in Powerball history. To break into the top seven, it must surpass the $1 billion milestone. When considering Mega Millions jackpots, this upcoming draw ranks as the 16th-largest in U.S. history.
Stephen Durrell, Powerball Product Group chair and executive director of the Kansas Lottery, noted the increase in players when jackpots enter the top 10. Historically, this has drawn more participation.
A notable win, the largest Powerball jackpot, occurred in November 2022 with a $2.04 billion ticket sold in California. However, no jackpot has achieved over $1 billion for a lump sum payout. Edwin Castro’s record win in 2022 was valued at $997.6 million as a lump sum.
The current jackpot comes with a new aspect, as participants from the United Kingdom are involved. Powerball tickets became available in the U.K. on July 21. This inclusion may accelerate jackpot growth if no winner emerges. The last time the jackpot was claimed was on May 2. Since then, 41 draws have failed to produce a winner. Nonetheless, other smaller wins occurred, such as a $1 million prize in Ohio from a recent Wednesday drawing.
The draw is scheduled for Saturday at 10:59 p.m. ET. Winning the top prize presents steep odds, calculated at 1 in 292.2 million.
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